Left-wing political figures from across the Americas convened in Montevideo, Uruguay, in August to assess recent setbacks and discuss strategies to counter the Trump administration's increasing pressure on the region. The annual Panamerican Congress drew former presidents, parliamentarians, campaign strategists, authors, and protest leaders, with a particular focus on renewed hope inspired by recent primary election victories of U.S. progressive and democratic socialist candidates.
The event featured special guests including Darializa Avila Chevalier and Claire Valdez of New York, Chris Rabb of Pennsylvania, and Dr. Adam Hamawy of New Jersey. While Dr. Hamawy identifies as progressive but not democratic socialist, all were recognized by attendees as examples of leftist political success in a challenging moment. Their victories, regarded as promising by regional leftists, came amid a wave of right-wing electoral wins—right-leaning candidates have claimed all seven presidential elections in Latin America since Donald Trump assumed office.
Gabriel Boric, former president of Chile and a former protest leader, praised the American candidates as proof that progressive movements can regain working-class support. Boric, who left office in March after losing to a right-wing rival aligned with Trump, underscored the need for leftist movements to focus on offering hope and practical solutions rather than solely criticizing the opposition. “There is a tendency in our movement to constantly talk about the right and all the evils it represents, instead of convincing and giving hope to the people,” Boric said.
Despite their warm reception, the U.S. candidates expressed a degree of caution about their role at the congress, emphasizing the event as a space for dialogue rather than instruction. Dr. Hamawy acknowledged that their experiences could offer “a little hope” but framed the interaction as reciprocal. The delegation’s foreign policy focus largely remained on issues such as Gaza and the ending of the U.S. trade embargo on Cuba, with limited engagement on broader Latin American policy topics.
The gathering also highlighted the challenges facing left-leaning governments in the region. Venezuela’s leftist administration under Nicolás Maduro faces continued U.S. sanctions and seizures, while Cuba endures an intensified U.S. oil blockade. In Brazil, Mexico, Uruguay, and Nicaragua—countries with varying leftist governments—the political environment remains fragile. Brazilian voters are set to decide in October whether to move further right, and Mexico has strengthened ties with the Trump administration.
Campaign strategist Avila Chevalier, who is expected to represent parts of Harlem and the Bronx in Congress, framed her campaign’s success as rooted in coalition-building and responding to constituents’ needs. “We’re building an infrastructure for progressive movements almost from the ground up,” she said, suggesting that regional leftists might find valuable lessons in U.S. grassroots mobilization.
American activist David Adlen, who helped organize the Montevideo meetings, noted a shift in influence between Latin America and the U.S., stating, “For the first time in my life, I feel like there’s actually a lot that the United States... can teach our friends here in the south,” particularly regarding messages on affordability and social justice.
The U.S. delegation at the event included figures from the progressive wing of the Democratic Party, such as foreign policy advisers to Senator Bernie Sanders and Mayor Zorhan Mamdani of New York, along with Representatives Jesus Garcia of Illinois and Pramila Jayapal of Washington. Jayapal, a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, indicated that under Democratic control, investigations would be pursued into the Trump administration’s policies affecting Cuba and Venezuela, as well as its drug interdiction airstrikes.
Overall, the Montevideo congress served as a platform for leftist leaders to exchange ideas, express solidarity, and explore new tactics amid a shifting political landscape marked by right-wing dominance and U.S. pressure in Latin America.