On July 1, 2026, Uruguayan President Yamandú Orsi officially took over the pro tempore presidency of the Southern Common Market (Mercosur) from Paraguayan President Santiago Peña at the 68th Summit of Heads of State held in Luque, Paraguay. The ceremony was attended by Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Bolivian President Rodrigo Paz, and other leaders of member states.

In his inaugural address, Orsi stated that the priorities of Uruguay’s presidency term are to “continue advancing the modernization of the bloc” and consolidate its trade openness. He emphasized: “We want to see a more modern, more dynamic Mercosur that is more open to the world, but above all, a Mercosur that delivers tangible results for its citizens”. Orsi described the past six months as “historic,” as the bloc signed a trade agreement with the European Union, which he called a “turning point” for economic integration and investment. He indicated that during Uruguay’s term, “special emphasis” will be placed on implementing the agreement with the EU and strengthening relations with the European Free Trade Association. The next summit in December will host the first council meeting of the interim trade agreement and the first business forum between the two blocs.

In terms of foreign economic relations, Orsi said Uruguay would push to conclude trade negotiations with Canada and the United Arab Emirates, and advance talks with India, Vietnam, and Japan — negotiations with these countries were announced by the bloc earlier this week. He stated: “The challenges of our time call for more cooperation, not less; more dialogue, not less; more integration, not less”.

On domestic border integration, Orsi announced plans to modernize border integration control zones to facilitate the flow of goods and people. “Borders are not barriers,” he said, “but places where millions of people live, work, study, and start businesses every day”. In the security domain, Uruguay will seek to strengthen regional coordination in combating transnational organized crime.

Notably, Uruguay’s assumption of the Mercosur pro tempore presidency means it now concurrently holds the presidency of multiple key multilateral mechanisms, including CELAC, the Group of 77 plus China, and the Brasília Consensus.

Bogotá will host the VII Meeting of Energy Ministers of Latin America and the Caribbean to promote and reach agreements that will allow progress towards a just and sovereign energy transition.
Bogotá, D.C., July 21, 2025. Within the framework of the Pro Tempore Presidency of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), Colombia will host the VII Meeting of Energy Ministers of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), which will be held on July 22 and 23, 2025, at the Bogotá Chamber of Commerce – El Salitre Campus.

Led by the Ministry of Mines and Energy, headed by Edwin Palma, this important summit will bring together international organizations, diplomatic delegations, and energy sector allies to consolidate regional consensus that connects the countries of the region under a shared vision: building a just, resilient, and sovereign energy transition in Latin America and the Caribbean.

As part of an unprecedented agenda for energy integration in Latin America and the Caribbean, the VII Meeting of Ministers of Energy will be held in Bogotá on July 22. The national government has convened energy authorities, multilateral organizations, and key stakeholders from the continent to consolidate consensus around a just, resilient, and sovereign energy transition.

Opening Ceremony
The opening session, scheduled for Tuesday, July 22, at 9:00 a.m., will feature the participation of the Minister of Mines and Energy, Edwin Palma Egea, and the Colombian Foreign Ministry.

Ministerial Meeting
In addition, important topics such as the CELAC Electricity Interconnection Plan and the Integrated Platform for Electricity, Climate, and Hydrological Data will be discussed. High-level panels will also be held with the participation of our ministry, the Latin American Energy Organization (OLADE), the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), CAF, the World Bank, the European Commission, and the International Energy Agency (IEA), among other important sector players.

Financing Summit for Energy Transitions in Latin America and the Caribbean
The First Financing Summit for Energy Transitions in Latin America and the Caribbean will take place on July 23rd, with the presence of President Gustavo Petro. Public and multilateral actors will establish joint lines of action to achieve sustainable energy solutions. There, national entities, private investors, companies in the mining and energy sector, and governments come together to mobilize resources to advance decarbonization projects, resilient infrastructure, and equitable access to energy.

This important event reaffirms Colombia’s leadership as a leading country in regional energy integration, as well as its progress toward the Just Energy Transition, in line with the national government’s objectives outlined by President Gustavo Petro.

The President of the European Council, António Costa, and the Head of State of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, held a meeting this Monday to advance preparations for the summit of the EU and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), which will take place next November in the Colombian city of Santa Marta.

Costa, who met with Petro on the sidelines of the Fourth UN International Conference on Financing for Development in Seville, emphasized on social media that the meeting in Santa Marta will be “a key meeting to deepen the alliance” between the two blocs. This is the fourth high-level summit between the parties, more than two years after the one hosted by Brussels in July 2023.

Petro and Costa also took advantage of this meeting in the Andalusian capital to reaffirm shared values and advocate for strengthening areas of common interest, including “multilateralism, trade, climate action, energy, regional interconnections, and security.”