Khaberni - The Brazilian President Luis Inacio Lula da Silva warned of the emergence of a "new Hitler" when "democracy retreats", just ahead of a summit for leaders in Barcelona organized by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who called for a "renewal" of the international system.
Lula said in a joint press conference with Sanchez last Friday at the close of the first Spanish-Brazilian summit, "What we want is to engage in a dialogue to see if we can find a solution that leads to strengthening the democratic path in the world, to avoid a setback. Because when democracy retreats, a Hitler emerges."
The Brazilian President emphasized that "democracy should not be limited to voting; rather, it should bring tangible benefits to people's lives."
Lula said, "Brazil and Spain stand side by side amidst challenges, and we are an example of being able to find solutions to problems without succumbing to empty promises of extremism."
For his part, Sanchez reiterated the call to "renew" and "improve" the multilateral international system, in the face of entities that consider it a "dead system" or work to undermine its foundations.
In a statement to journalists, Sanchez continued, "It is clear that peace and the values that support it are being attacked by this reactionary wave, authoritarian regimes, and media misinformation, all of which are threats to the stability of our democratic institutions."
Da Silva and Sanchez's statements came before they joined, today Saturday in Barcelona, a group of leaders, mostly from small and medium-sized countries, who are concerned about the future of the democratic system and the rising popularity of the far-right, participating in the Global Progressive Mobilization Forum.
Who hurts and who heals
Sanchez and Lula had previously explicitly expressed their opposition to the decision taken by the United States and Israel to attack Iran, a decision that led to a sharp spike in energy prices.
During their joint press conference yesterday, which lasted an hour after their meeting, the two men spoke in favor of peace, without naming U.S. President Donald Trump, who had previously threatened them both with punitive tariffs.
Sanchez told journalists, "We want to double our efforts for peace and to strengthen the multilateral system. While others are opening wounds, we want to bandage and heal them."
Earlier last week, Lula released a recorded message expressing his "deep solidarity" with Pope Leo XIV, following public criticism by Trump after the pope criticized the war with Iran.
Lula and Sanchez are among the few progressive leaders who have stood firm against the shift towards the right, retaining their popularity in their countries, defending multilateral agreements, human rights, environmental protection, all issues that irk Trump, his Argentine neighbor Javier Milei, and the far-right in Europe.
On Friday, Lula and Sanchez, along with ministers from their respective governments, signed 15 agreements covering multiple areas, including trade, satellite communications, and the exploitation of rare minerals necessary for industry, during their meeting in a former royal palace in Barcelona.
In defense of democracy
This bilateral meeting sets the stage for today's Saturday events, where Lula and Sanchez will meet with other leaders at a large convention center in Spain's second-largest city.
Today's meeting is the "fourth meeting for the defense of democracy," an initiative launched by Brazil and Spain in 2024 as a forum for exchanging ideas aimed at combating "extremism, polarization, and misinformation" that threaten participatory democracy, according to the organizers.
These meetings come amidst a busy week for Sanchez, who has just returned from meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping, in his fourth visit to Beijing in just over 3 years.
Today's meeting will be attended by the President of the European Council Antonio Costa, President of Mexico Claudia Sheinbaum, President of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa, President of Colombia Gustavo Petro, and leaders from other nations ranging from Uruguay and Lithuania to Ghana and Albania.
It is expected that 3,000 people will attend the meeting, including members of the Democratic Party from the USA, with Senator Chris Murphy participating in the events, which will include roundtable discussions on issues ranging from wage inequality to how to improve election outcomes for progressives.
Lula commented on his vision for changing the situation in favor of progressive and moderate political parties, "If the President of Mexico and the President of South Africa are attending, that means our group is expanding."
Sheinbaum's participation comes after King Felipe VI of Spain recently settled a long-standing diplomatic dispute over Spain's colonial past, acknowledging that the Spanish conquest of the Americas had led to "violations" against the indigenous people.
According to Paul Morillas, director of the CIDOB foreign affairs think tank in Barcelona, these meetings aim to show the strength of traditional democratic leaders who have seen how the populist far-right has succeeded in conveying its messages against immigration and economic nationalism across international forums.
Morillas also sees these meetings in the context of the speech by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, which shook the Davos economic forum in January, about the importance of what are called "middle powers" finding new strategies for dealing with a world dominated by aggressive superpowers.
Morillas told the Associated Press that Lula, Sanchez, and other leaders participating in these events agree that "the world is not reserved for the superpowers alone."
