More than 150 politicians from fifteen countries gathered in Montevideo on Friday for the opening of the third Pan-American Congress (a progressive regional forum founded in Bogotá in 2024), combining sharp criticism of Washington's conduct in Latin America with calls for honesty within their own movements. Former Chilean president Gabriel Boric drew widespread attention by denouncing what he called a "new imperialism" under Donald Trump — citing the US military capture of Nicolás Maduro in Caracas in January, strikes on Caribbean vessels, and sanctions on Cuba — while also insisting that the left must acknowledge Maduro had stolen Venezuela's elections and that his presidency had itself been illegitimate. Other speakers, including former Colombian president Ernesto Samper and US Representative Pramila Jayapal, urged greater Latin American integration and a shift toward diplomacy over military spending, as the forum — organised around themes of peace, digital sovereignty and sustainable development — continues through Sunday.