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Global opposition to war lies low “in the same trench.” A military parapet from which the Brazilian president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silvahas launched a volley of praise to Pedro Sanchez.
“Brazil and Spain are in the same trench. My dear friend Pedro Sánchez“I understand you perfectly when you say ‘no to war,’” Lula snapped at Sánchez this Friday.
He did so in the run-up to the global summit of progressivism convened by the Spanish socialist, which promises to become a cabal against Donald Trump in Barcelona.
Lula has not been the only one. Sánchez’s bath with Barcelona as a backdrop has also had the Colombian Gustavo Petro as the protagonist.
The former M-19 guerrilla, raised politically in the Colombian war, joined Sánchez’s praise for challenging Trump: “He is the vanguard of Europe.”
The veteran trade unionist and the former combatant were the first to arrive in Barcelona for a forum, the Global Progressive Mobilisation, which aspires to become this Sunday “Defense of democracy against the extreme right.”
In parallel, it has become a summit of Trump’s strategic rivals, many of them allies – more or less close – of China and Russia.
The praise of Petro and Lula is added to that of the Chinese president, Xi Jinpingon Sánchez’s recent visit to Beijing.
On that occasion, the communist leader praised that Spain is “on the right side of History” facing, together with him, a new “law of the jungle.”
He also did not specifically mention Trump, but the figure of the New York tycoon flew over the People’s Palace.
Hitlerian obsession
As part of his visit to Barcelona, Petro has participated in the EFE and RTVE Breakfasts, an opening to the forum, where he assured that “Hitler is alive again” in Europe.
“(It is necessary) to accept that migration is not impoverishing Europe, as Hitler said of the Jews, but rather enriching,” he commented in one of his long ramblings.
His comments were complemented by Lula after meeting with Sánchez: “Spain was the laboratory of the Second World War.”
“You have to know history well to prevent it from being repeated,” he stated in an explicit reference to one of the forum’s topics, the rise of the extreme right.
It mattered little that this was an official meeting, with a review of troops included, and that they attended the forum in their role as political leaders.
Pedro Sánchez and Lula da Silva, this Friday.
Europa Press
Sánchez also vindicated the position that Spain and Brazil are following regarding other authoritarian policies, without explicitly citing the United States.
In this sense, he stressed that, “while others open wounds”, both want to “close them.”
“We want to cure them, close them, reduce inequality and respond to the great challenges of humanity, such as the climate emergency,” he claimed.
The President of the Government highlighted the policies of Spain and Brazil regarding issues such as armed conflicts, poverty and inequality.
Waiting for Sheinbaum
An unexpected guest will join the meeting this Saturday, the president of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum.
His trip to participate in the forum also aims to leave behind the diplomatic crisis unleashed since 2019.
That year his predecessor, Andrés Manuel López Obradordemanded that Spain apologize for the abuses committed during the conquest of Hernan Cortes.
This request, which Sheinbaum has maintained, has clouded the relations of two partners with important economic, cultural and social ties.
“It seems to me that it is a time to continue dialogue (…) That is why I made the decision to go to Barcelona,” said the head of state.
Gustavo Petro, this Friday in Barcelona
EFE
The Mexican president, however, has distanced herself from the obvious description by ensuring that the forum “is not an anti-Trump meeting.”
The three Latin American leaders will be joined this Saturday by the presidents of the European Council, Antonio Costa; South Africa, Cyril Ramphosa; Uruguay, Yamandú Orsias well as the Prime Minister of Albania, Eddie Rama.
The German Vice Chancellor will also be there Lars Klingbeil (Social Democrat) and British Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy (worker).
At the last minute it has been added Axel Kicillofgovernor of the province of Buenos Aires and former Minister of Economy with Cristina Fernandez.
