Latin American leaders call for unity against growing political polarization

PANAMA CITY (AP) — Latin American leaders, who gathered for a development forum Wednesday, called for regional unity in the face of increasing political polarization and the recent U.S. intervention in Venezuela.

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva did not name the United States, but alluded to the country's recent actions and the resulting political divisions that have caused paralysis in the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) — the only organization that includes all the region’s governments.

“It has not been capable of producing even a single declaration against illegal military interventions that affect our region,” Lula said during the economic forum in Panama City hosted by the CAF-Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean.

“We’re experiencing one of the moments of greatest deterioration in the area of integration,” the Brazilian leader said.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro, who has sparred with U.S. President Donald Trump and is scheduled to meet him next week in Washington, was more direct, criticizing “bombing” over Caracas and saying former-Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro should be tried in his own country or by a regional judicial body that he called a “Three Americas Tribunal.”

Leaders from Ecuador, Bolivia and Guatemala were also in attendance, as well as Chile’s President-elect José Antonio Kast.

Follow AP’s Latin America coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america

Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa, left, and Colombian President Gustavo Petro attend a decoration ceremony for Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva at the presidential palace in Panama City, Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

Colombian President Gustavo Petro embraces Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva after his decoration ceremony at the presidential palace in Panama City, Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

Chilean President-elect Jose Antonio Kast leaves a ceremony at the presidential palace in Panama City, Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva gives a speech during his decoration ceremony at the presidential palace in Panama City, Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino gestures to Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, center, before Lula's decoration ceremony at the presidential palace in Panama City, Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

Real Madrid was stunningly dumped into the qualifying playoffs of the Champions League by its former coach José Mourinho — whose Benfica team advanced on a last-gasp goal by its goalkeeper — on Wednesday and will be joined there by title holder Paris Saint-Germain.

Madrid started play third in the 36-team standings and despite two goals by Kylian Mbappé lost 4-2 at Benfica and fell to ninth — one place below advancing direct to the round of 16.

Astonishingly, Benfica only advanced to the knockout phase in 24th place on goal difference because Ukrainian goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin scored in the eighth minute of stoppage time with a dramatic header when Madrid was down to nine players. Red cards were shown minutes earlier for Raul Asencio and Rodrygo.

“This victory is historic and important," Mourinho said, adding of his goalkeeper: "We knew that he could do it. You have to put the ball there, but it’s an amazing goal for the guy.”

Trubin said it was a “crazy moment. I’m not used to scoring. I’m 24 years old and it’s the first time.”

Madrid fell out of the top-eight places when Sporting Lisbon got a stoppage-time goal in a 3-2 win at Athletic Bilbao.

Sporting surprisingly joined Liverpool — which beat Qarabag 6-0 — Tottenham, Barcelona, Chelsea and Manchester City in sealing top-eight finishes. Table-topping Arsenal, which completed a perfect eight-win program beating Kairat Almaty 3-2, and second-place Bayern Munich had already advanced to the round of 16 that starts in March.

PSG and Newcastle both started in the top eight but drew 1-1 in Paris which sent both falling in the standings to 11th and 12th. The game had an explosive start when Newcastle conceded a penalty for a handball in the first minute, and Ballon d'Or winner Ousmane Dembélé's spot-kick was saved by Nick Pope.

Madrid, PSG, Newcastle and last year’s beaten finalist Inter Milan all will be in the qualifying playoffs draw Friday for teams that placed ninth through 24th.

Still, PSG went through the playoffs round a year ago in taking the longest path possible with two extra games in February toward its first European title.

There is a 50-50 chance it will be Mourinho's Benfica against Real Madrid and Mbappé two more times next month.

The bracket for the playoffs means the ninth-place team, Madrid, can be drawn only against the team that placed either 23rd or 24th. That is, respectively, Bodo/Glimt or Benfica.

If Benfica is not paired with Madrid, then it will be the 10th-place team, Inter Milan — whom Mourinho led to the 2010 Champions League title. It is a remarkable renaissance for Mourinho, who lost his job at Fenerbahce in August for losing in the Champions League qualifying playoffs. Against Benfica.

Norwegian debutant Bodo/Glimt will be a popular addition to the knockout phase, claiming 23rd place by winning 2-1 at Atletico Madrid. That showed how crucial it was to beat Man City last week inside its Arctic Circle home.

Benfica’s late drama eliminated Marseille, which lost 3-0 at Club Brugge and dropped below the cutoff into 25th place with nine points.

Also in the playoffs are Qarabag, Brugge, Galatasaray and Olympiakos, plus Juventus and Atalanta from Italy.

Italian champion Napoli was ousted in 30th place after losing 3-2 at home to Chelsea.

At halftime Wednesday, the in-play standings showed Chelsea in 12th and Barcelona 13th, both heading for the playoffs.

Barcelona was trailing at home to lowly Copenhagen, whose goal was scored by 17-year-old Icelandic striker Viktor Dadason, who scored three times in his debut Champions League season.

Barcelona flipped the game in the second half of a 4-1 win with goals from a stellar forward line: Robert Lewandowski, Lamine Yamal, Raphinha and Marcus Rashford.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Sporting's Ivan Fresneda, front, celebrates after Alisson Santos scoring the third goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Athletic Bilbao and Sporting CP, in Bilbao, Spain, Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses)

PSG's Goncalo Ramos, right, congratulates Newcastle's Yoane Wissa at the end of a Champions League opening phase soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Newcastle in Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

Benfica's head coach Jose Mourinho celebrates at the end of a Champions League opening phase soccer match between Benfica and Real Madrid, in Lisbon, Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Armando Franca)

Benfica's head coach Jose Mourinho celebrates at the end of a Champions League opening phase soccer match between Benfica and Real Madrid, in Lisbon, Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Armando Franca)

Arsenal's Viktor Gyoekeres scores his side's opening goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Arsenal and Kairat Almaty in London, Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Ian Walton)

Manchester City's Erling Haaland, left, scores the opening goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match Manchester City and Galatasaray in Manchester, England, Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

PSG's Vitinha celebrates after scoring his side's opening goal during a Champions League opening phase soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Newcastle in Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

Copenhagen's Vicktor Dabason celebrates with Jordan Larsson the opening goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Barcelona and Copenhagen in Barcelona, Spain, on Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)

Benfica's Tomas Araujo, center, goes for a header against Real Madrid's Dean Huijsen, left, during a Champions League opening phase soccer match between Benfica and Real Madrid, in Lisbon, Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Armando Franca)

Newcastle's Yoane Wissa, center, celebrates after scoring his side's opening goal during the Champions League soccer match between Newcastle and Paris Saint-Germain in Newcastle, England, Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Ian Hodgson)

Manchester City's Erling Haaland, right, and Glimt's Jostein Gundersen battle for the ball during the Champions League soccer match between Bodo/Glimt and Manchester City in Bodo, Norway, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026. (Fredrik Varfjell/NTB via AP)

Benfica's head coach Jose Mourinho gives instructions during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Juventus and SL Benfica in Turin, Italy, Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski, right, celebrates with his teammate Marcus Rashford after scoring his side's fourth goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Slavia Prague and Barcelona in Prague, Czech Republic, Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

PSG's Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, right, celebrates after scoring his side's first goal with Vitinha during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Sporting CP and Paris Saint-Germain, in Lisbon, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Armando Franca)