The EU-CELAC summit in Colombia is being completely dominated by its host, President Gustavo Petro, and his explosive condemnation of a deadly US military operation. Petro’s repeated charge that the 60-plus deaths from US strikes are “extrajudicial executions” has become the defining phrase of the event, overriding the entire planned agenda and putting the region’s relationship with the US under a harsh spotlight.

Petro’s criticism is not abstract. He has anchored his accusations in the fact that Colombian citizens are among the victims. He has identified at least one Colombian killed and one Colombian survivor from the attacks on alleged drug vessels. This transforms the summit, held in the Colombian city of Santa Marta, into the primary venue for the nation’s demand for accountability.

This host-led confrontation is unfolding as the summit’s diplomatic relevance is being questioned. The absence of top EU officials, including Ursula von der Leyen, has weakened the event, though Colombian officials have publicly blamed “scheduling conflicts” with a UN climate summit. The presence of Spanish PM Pedro Sánchez and Brazilian President Lula is being offered as proof of the summit’s importance.

However, Lula’s presence only reinforces Petro’s security-focused agenda. The Brazilian delegation is there to show “solidarity with Venezuela” against separate US threats, creating a pincer movement of criticism against US military policy. Brazilian diplomats have confirmed the Venezuelan delegation will “bring up” the US actions, a move that will surely be seconded by the host.

As a result, the “Declaration of Santa Marta,” with its focus on renewable energy and food security, is an afterthought. The summit’s entire focus has been captured by Petro’s powerful “extrajudicial executions” claim, turning a meeting about partnership into a tribunal on a deadly military campaign.