At a meeting of leftist leaders in Barcelona, Spain, Brazil, and Mexico pledged to boost humanitarian aid efforts for Cuba. In a joint statement, the three nations announced their commitment to ease a crisis they said was the result of a US blockade against the Caribbean island nation. The statement also called for dialogue and urged against any military intervention in Cuba, emphasizing that the Cuban people must determine their own future.
The summit was convened to defend multilateralism and democracy amid the rising challenge from the far right. Participants included Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, among others. Sánchez, in his opening remarks, stated that democracy cannot be taken for granted and denounced attacks on the multilateral system and attempts to undermine international law.
Sánchez also criticized the global far right, claiming they "scream and shout not because they are winning but because they know their time is running out." He argued that their vision of world order is collapsing due to tariffs and wars, and their embrace of climate change denial, xenophobia, and sexism is a grave error. The meeting addressed threats of military intervention and an oil blockade by US President Donald Trump against Cuba, which have exacerbated the humanitarian situation.
Mexican President Sheinbaum's visit to Spain aimed to improve bilateral relations, which have been strained since 2019 over Mexico's demand for an apology for abuses during Spanish colonization. Sheinbaum insisted there was no diplomatic crisis, while Spain's King Felipe VI acknowledged "a lot of abuse" in the colonial era. Concurrently, a right-wing rally in Madrid featured Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, highlighting political polarization.
The second part of the event saw the launch of the Global Progressive Mobilization initiative, framed as an international leftist response to far-right movements. German Vice Chancellor Lars Klingbeil asserted that since the far right is international, the left must be too. These developments occur against the backdrop of aggressive policies by the US regime and the growth of global far-right forces, marking a significant step in the struggle for democracy and peace.
Source: www.dw.com