Can CELAC shield Castro from Honduras’ internal legitimacy crisis?

The ninth meeting of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) took place in Tegucigalpa on April 8 and 9, 2025. It featured significant political and ideological backing for the administration of Xiomara Castro and Manuel Zelaya. These leaders are currently dealing with increasing public disapproval and claims of authoritarian behavior, along with an internal economic downturn.

The appearance of leftist or forward-thinking figures like Gustavo Petro (Colombia), Miguel Díaz-Canel (Cuba), Luis Arce (Bolivia), Claudia Sheinbaum (Mexico), and other leaders with similar views conveyed a sense of regional ideological cohesion during a period of strain for the Honduran administration.

Though the event was formally introduced as a platform for regional collaboration on topics like migration, food security, climate change, and energy partnership, experts have viewed the presence of Latin American leftist figures as political backing for the re-foundation initiative spearheaded by Castro and Zelaya in Honduras.

Global assistance versus domestic fragility

While attending the summit, the leaders who were invited refrained from mentioning the unrest in some social groups in Honduras. Recent polls indicate a drop in approval for the government and highlight feelings of insecurity, joblessness, and economic unpredictability.

Despite international support, the LIBRE party government faces a complex internal situation. There is popular rejection of its presidential candidate, Rixi Moncada, due to her participation in past political processes and her closeness to the radical wing of the party. There are accusations of fraud in the March primaries and fears of electoral manipulation in the November general elections. Added to this is discontent over the ideological direction of the government, perceived by many as being far removed from the priorities of the population.

A strategy of regional legitimation in the face of the domestic crisis?

The government uses the summit to project an image of regional legitimacy, despite the instability of its internal legitimacy. The CELAC Summit has served as a stage for Castro and Zelaya to try to demonstrate Latin American strength and leadership, but it has also shown that international support is no substitute for citizen backing, which will be evaluated in the elections on November 30th.

The issue is whether the LIBRE administration can establish itself with international backing while its domestic support wanes, and if this summit serves as a diplomatic platform or a fleeting illusion in a governance crisis. The ultimate choice will belong to the citizens of Honduras.