Lula criticizes extremism and condemns war

Brasilia DF) – In a speech this Monday (17), at the opening of the 3rd Summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (Celac) and the European Union, in Brussels, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva addressed issues such as democracy, criticized political extremism , condemned the war in Ukraine, spoke about the environment and the fight against hunger and again defended a new global governance among nations.

Around 60 foreign leaders from the member countries of both blocs are participating in the meeting, which ends on Tuesday (18). The meeting of leaders of nations from the two continents had not taken place since 2015.

Political extremism and digital regulation

“Our regions are threatened by political extremism, manipulation of information, violence that attacks and silences minorities. There is no democracy without respect for diversity. Without contemplating the rights of women, blacks, indigenous peoples, LGBTQI+, poor people and migrants,” said Lula, who defended social, digital and educational inclusion policies.

The Brazilian president spoke about the advances of the digital revolution in access to services and consumption and highlighted the need for regulation in the sector, including through international coordination.

“It is urgent that we regulate the use of platforms to fight cyber crimes and misinformation. What is a crime in real life must be a crime in the digital world. Apps and platforms cannot simply abolish the labor laws we fought so hard for.”

Global governance and war

Lula again criticized the current model of global governance, which, according to him, “perpetuates asymmetries, increases instability and reduces opportunities for developing countries”.

“In Haiti, we have a serious multidimensional crisis, which will not be resolved if it is addressed only by the migration and security aspects. Its overcoming will occur with the mobilization of adequate resources for structuring development projects”, he exemplified.

Regarding the war in Ukraine, the president stressed that it is yet another confirmation that the Security Council of the United Nations (UN) does not meet the current challenges to global peace and security. And he even repudiated the adoption of economic sanctions.

“Its own members do not respect the UN Charter. In line with the Charter of the United Nations, we strongly repudiate the use of force as a means of resolving disputes. Brazil supports the initiatives promoted by different countries and regions in favor of the immediate cessation of hostilities and a negotiated peace. Resorting to sanctions and blockades without the protection of international law only serves to penalize the most vulnerable populations”, he argued.

In the speech, Lula also announced that he will work for the reform of global governance during the temporary presidency of the G20, a group that brings together the largest economies on the planet, which will be assumed by Brazil next year.

Hunger, inequality and the environment

Lula also criticized the maintenance of consumption patterns that are incompatible with the current global environmental crisis, at the same time that the planet sees the deepening of social inequalities, especially after the pandemic.

“We maintained irresponsible consumption habits, incompatible with the survival of the planet. Inequality only grew: the rich got even richer, and the poor got even poorer,” she emphasized. The president mentioned the 735 million human beings who are starving, according to a report by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), released last week.

“And, even with all the warning signs issued by the planet, there are still those who deny the climate crisis. And, even those who do not deny it, hesitate to adopt concrete measures”,

added.

“Only in 2022, instead of killing the hunger of millions of human beings, the world spent 2.24 trillion dollars to feed the war machine, which only causes deaths, destruction and even more hunger”, he continued.

Lula also criticized rich countries for not fulfilling the promise, made in 2009, to allocate US$ 100 billion a year to developing countries, as a form of compensation for the global warming crisis and the need for mitigation and adaptation actions. The president was also committed to preserving the Amazon rainforest and highlighted the need to guarantee dignified conditions for the population living in the region.

“This CELAC-European Union Summit is also a way of saying: Enough is enough. Another world is possible. It is up to us to build it, with many hands”,

closed.

Trade agreement

Earlier, before the opening of the summit, Lula met with the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen. They went back to talking about the trade agreement between Mercosur and the European Union. At the meeting, Lula said he hoped to conclude an agreement between the blocs in 2023. Afterwards, Lula participated in a business forum, where he also spoke.

The president’s official agenda released by the Brazilian government also provides for meetings with other political leaders, including the King of Belgium, Philippe Léopold Louis Marie, and the Prime Minister of Belgium, the host country, Alexandre De Croo.

Commitments have also been confirmed with the representatives of Austria and Sweden.

President Lula’s return to Brasília is scheduled for Wednesday (19).

*With information from Agência Brasil

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