Leftist Leaders Gather In Chile With Democracy 'Under Threat'
They gathered under the motto "democracy always," against the backdrop of US President Donald Trump's expanding tariff war and America's worsening ties with several erstwhile allies.
"Today, in many parts of the world, democracy is under threat," Chilean President Gabriel Boric said as he opened the summit with counterparts Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of Brazil, Gustavo Petro of Colombia, Uruguay's Yamandu Orsi and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.
He blamed "disinformation, extremism of all kinds, the advance of hatred, corruption, the concentration of power and inequality."
Boric said the Santiago summit would discuss ways "to strengthen our democracies and multilateralism," with proposals to be presented at a UN General Assembly meeting in New York in September.
"Defending truth, defending science, and opposing deception... must also be part of our debate," said the Chilean leader.
The meeting came amid rising tensions between Trump and leftist leaders worldwide.
His current focus is on Brazil, where right-wing ally Jair Bolsonaro is on trial for allegedly plotting a coup against Lula.
The Brazilian president last week decried "unacceptable blackmail" after Trump threatened 50 percent tariffs in part over the trial, which the US leader labeled a "witch hunt."
Spain's Sanchez told Monday's meeting that: "Our societies face a real threat led by a coalition of interests between oligarchs and the far-right" -- a coalition of "hatred and lies that is advancing dangerously."
Lula, for his part, said the leaders present in Santiago agreed on "the need to regulate digital platforms and combat disinformation."
The topic is also at the heart of Brazil's ongoing clash with Trump's administration, which has targeted a judge who is involved in Bolsonaro's coup trial and has made a number of rulings against platforms and individuals spreading falsehoods on line.
Political analyst Michael Shifter of the Inter-American Dialogue think tank said meetings like the one in Santiago were useful for like-minded politicians to "discuss how to navigate an increasingly complex and turbulent world."
But he warned that Trump "may view the meeting as a hostile message to the United States."
Boric, for his part, warned against "extremism and authoritarianism" used to silence dissent and suppress debate.
"I also want to tell critics of this gathering that there is never a bad time to strengthen democracy, to reaffirm our convictions regarding multilateralism and the unwavering respect for human rights, always," he added.
Boric said he had invited Claudia Sheinbaum of Mexico, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Canada's Mark Carney to the meeting, but they were unable to attend.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Int'l Business Times
an hour ago
- Int'l Business Times
Trump Changes Tune as 'Weak' Dollar Continues to Fall 1 Week After Criticizing 'Dummy' Biden
Just one week after vowing to never let the US dollar slide under his leadership—claiming it could only happen with a "dummy" president—President Donald Trump is touting the upside to the dollar weakening on his watch. July 18: If we have a smart president, you're never going to let the dollar slide. If you have a dummy, that could happen. July 25: A weak dollar makes you a hell of a lot more money. It doesn't sound good, but you make a hell of a lot more money with a weaker dollar than you... — MeidasTouch (@MeidasTouch) July 25, 2025 On July 18, Trump blasted his predecessor, former President Joe Biden, while committing to keeping the dollar strong: "No, we're not gonna let the dollar slide. If you have a smart president, you're never gonna let the dollar slide. If you have a dummy, that could happen," Trump warned. "Like the last one, if you ever asked him about the dollar sliding he would have no idea." But with the US dollar continuing to droop, Trump changed his tone: "Well, you know, I'm a person who likes a strong dollar. But a weak dollar makes you a hell of a lot more money," Trump said Friday. "When we have a strong dollar, one thing happens: it sounds good. But you don't do any tourism, you can't sell tractors, you can't sell trucks, you can't sell anything." "You make a hell of a lot more money with a weaker dollar than you do with a strong dollar," Trump insisted. The US Dollar Index (DXY) tracks the dollar's strength relative to foreign currencies. The above chart shows YTD DXY as of July 25, 2025. The dollar saw its worst first six months of the year since 1973, falling over 10% on the dollar index, which measures the dollar's strength against six other currencies. Originally published on Latin Times © Latin Times. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Int'l Business Times
an hour ago
- Int'l Business Times
Trump, EU Chief To Meet Sunday In Push For Trade Deal
EU chief Ursula von der Leyen and US President Donald Trump said Friday they would meet in Scotland this weekend in a decisive push to resolve a months-long transatlantic trade standoff. In a drive to slash his country's trade deficits, Trump has vowed to hit dozens of countries with punitive tariff hikes if they do not hammer out a pact with Washington by August 1. The EU -- which is facing an across-the-board levy of 30-percent -- has been pushing hard for a deal with Trump's administration, while also planning retaliation should talks fall short. Von der Leyen first announced the meeting, writing on X: "Following a good call with POTUS, we have agreed to meet in Scotland on Sunday to discuss transatlantic trade relations, and how we can keep them strong." Arriving on UK soil late Friday, Trump confirmed he would meet the head of the European Commission, which has been negotiating with Washington on behalf of the 27-nation bloc. "I'll be meeting with the EU on Sunday, and we'll be working on a deal," he told reporters as he touched down at Prestwick Airport near Glasgow. "Ursula will be here -- a highly respected woman. So we look forward to that," Trump said. "We'll see if we make a deal," added the president -- who reiterated earlier comments saying the chance of a deal was "50-50", with sticking points remaining on "maybe 20 different things." "But we're meeting ... with the European Union. And that would be, actually, the biggest deal of them all, if we make it," he said. The high-level meeting follows months of negotiations between top EU and US trade officials, and days of signals suggesting the sides were moving towards an agreement. According to multiple European diplomats, the agreement under consideration would involve a baseline 15-percent US levy on EU goods -- the same level secured by Japan this week -- and potential carve-outs for critical sectors. Von der Leyen's spokesperson Paula Pinho said "intensive negotiations" had been taking place at technical and political level in the run up to Sunday's meeting. "Leaders will now take stock and consider the scope for a balanced outcome that provides stability and predictability for businesses and consumers on both sides of the Atlantic," she said. Hit by multiple waves of tariffs since Trump reclaimed the White House, the EU is currently subject to a 25-percent levy on cars, 50 percent on steel and aluminium, and an across-the-board tariff of 10 percent, which Washington threatens to hike to 30 percent in a no-deal scenario. The EU wants to avoid sweeping tariffs inflicting further harm on the European economy -- already suffering from sluggish growth -- and damaging a trading relationship worth an annual 1.6 trillion euros ($1.9 trillion) in goods and services. EU member states gave the European Commission a mandate to pursue a deal to avoid hefty US tariffs, with retaliation held out as a last resort if talks fail. Seeking to keep up the pressure in the final stretch of talks, EU states on Thursday backed a package of retaliation on $109 billion (93 billion euros) of US goods including aircraft and cars -- to kick in in stages from August 7 if there is no deal. Most states prefer a deal to no deal -- even with undesirable levies of 15 percent -- but exemptions are key, with aircraft, steel, lumber, pharmaceutical products and agricultural goods under discussion, diplomats said. Concerning steel, diplomats say a compromise could allow a certain quota to enter the United States, with amounts beyond that taxed at 50 percent. Since launching its tariffs campaign, Trump's administration has so far unveiled just five agreements, including with Britain, Japan and the Philippines. While EU hopes have been rising for a deal, the approaching August 1 deadline also comes with a sense of deja-vu: earlier this month, EU officials also believed they were on the cusp of a deal, before Trump hiked his tariff threat to 30-percent. "The final decision is in the hands of President Trump," an EU diplomat stressed this week. Von der Leyen hopes to minimise the scale of Trump's threatened further tariffs on EU good exports, and perhaps win carve outs for certain industries AFP
Int'l Business Times
2 hours ago
- Int'l Business Times
Fox News Called Out for Editing Fed Chair Fact-Checking Trump: 'Jerome Powell Should Sue'
Fox News played video of a contentious moment between President Donald Trump and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, but omitted the end of the exchange, when Powell fact-checked the president. Trump visited the Federal Reserve's Washington headquarters on Thursday, where renovation costs have exceeded budget. The president has been critical of the project's ballooning budget, suggesting Powell could be committing fraud. During a tour of the building, Trump confronted Powell while cameras rolled. Watters airs a version of the Trump/Powell exchange from earlier today. The part where Powell says the building was built five years ago is omitted — Acyn (@Acyn) July 25, 2025 In the clip of the interaction, Trump presents Powell with an apparent budget sheet, claiming the cost of Fed renovations has ballooned from $2.7 billion to $3.1 billion. A baffled Powell examines the sheet. "Oh, you're including the Martin a third building," he says. "Yeah, it's a building that's being built," Trump retorts. On Fox News, the clip ends there. The Fox News banner on the video reads: "Powell spends big, Trump brings receipts." However, the unedited exchange, which Fox News streamed live earlier that same day, reveals that Powell pushed back, clarifying that Trump had included a separate building which was completed five years earlier, during Trump's first term. Trump: It looks like it's about $3.1 billionPowell: I'm not aware of It just came outPowell: You just added in a third building Trump: It's a building that's being built Powell: It was built five years ago. — Acyn (@Acyn) July 24, 2025 "That's a third building. It was built five years ago," Powell says while reviewing the sheet. We finished Martin five years ago—it's not new." That portion of the conversation was omitted from Fox's broadcast, prompting accusations of deliberate editing to protect the president from public embarrassment. maga state media at its finest — the canadian (@comedicanadian) July 25, 2025 Online, users who viewed both versions called out the omission, accusing Fox of bias and noting the recent $16 million settlement CBS paid to Trump after he sued the network for what he claimed was a deceptive edit of a Kamala Harris interview. SUE THEM! They edited the interview! — Cindi Branham (@CindiBranham1) July 25, 2025 Trump accused CBS of editing a November 2024 60 Minutes interview with Harris to make her appear more articulate. Critics questioned the strength of the case, with many speculating that CBS-parent company Paramount capitulated to Trump in hopes of receiving the required federal approval to complete a high-stakes merger with Skydance Media. "So is this the time to sue for $16,000,000?" a question read online. "What's the difference in CBS editing out a part from Kamala's interview and this?" "Editing footage to make an incompetent more like grounds for a lawsuit," an X user wrote pointedly. Jerome Powell should sue using Trump's case against CBS as precedent — Gregory Natoli (@NatoliFish) July 25, 2025 So far, neither Powell nor the Federal Reserve has commented publicly on the matter, and Fox News has not addressed the backlash. Originally published on Latin Times Donald trump Video Lawsuit © Latin Times. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
