
Leftist leaders gather in Chile warning democracy 'under threat'
"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 far-right 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."
'Extremism and authoritarianism'
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 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.
© 2025 AFP
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


France 24
25 minutes ago
- France 24
Ecuador deports more than 800 Colombian inmates as Bogota cries foul
In 2024, Ecuadoran President Daniel Noboa announced his intention to deport Colombian inmates to ease overcrowding in the country's prisons. Small groups were transferred starting in April. But Colombian President Gustavo Petro opposed the move, saying that a joint plan was needed to safeguard the prisoners' rights. More than 800 prisoners were deported through the Rumichaca border crossing in Carchi province, Governor Diana Pozo told reporters at the site. The inmates, wearing orange uniforms, waited in line to reenter their home country under the watchful eye of Ecuadoran police and military personnel. Early in the day, some in shorts and t-shirts did exercises while waiting for their turn to cross the border in the chilly Andean air, saying "We want to cross, we want to cross." On Friday, the government in Bogota lodged a formal complaint with Quito, saying such a move without prior agreement was a violation of international law and an "unfriendly gesture." A source in the Carchi governor's office who spoke to AFP on condition of anonymity said the mass deportation began on Friday, and the 870 inmates slated for expulsion represented about 60 percent of all Colombians in Ecuador's prisons. Juan Morales, an official in the Colombian town of Ipiales, said that authorities had to scramble to handle the influx of people, because Ecuador had not informed them of the deportations. Ecuador's foreign ministry said Saturday that Bogota was told about the plan on July 8. The mayor of the border town of Ipiales, Amilcar Pantoja, told the media on Friday that prisoners without pending legal cases in Colombia would be released. Drug trafficking gangs operating in Ecuador -- some involving Colombian criminals -- have turned the country into one of the most violent in Latin America. The homicide rate has jumped from six per 100,000 people in 2018 to 38 in 2024, among the highest in the region.

LeMonde
2 hours ago
- LeMonde
Donald Trump is on the verge of winning his trade war
When Donald Trump decided, in early spring, to abruptly suspend his unilateral tariffs after triggering a financial panic, the Financial Times published a sarcastic comment about the US president in early May, calling him "TACO" for "Trump always chickens out" in trade negotiations. This infuriated the head of state. "That's a nasty question," he said in the Oval Office of the White House after a journalist asked him about it. On July 15, Wall Street Journal columnist Greg Ip offered a less humorous but more direct evaluation: "Forget TACO. Trump is winning his trade war." The issue is not to defend Trump's trade policy – the WSJ called it "the dumbest trade war in history" – but to analyze whether the president is achieving the goals he set for himself. Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, is set to meet the US head of state in Scotland on Sunday, July 27, in a last-ditch effort to reach a deal before the August 1 deadline to avoid 30% tariffs on European goods. The WSJ columnist recalled that the president's intention was to impose the highest possible tariffs to protect American industry and fund all or part of the income tax. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent used the argument of tariffs as a negotiating tool in an attempt to reassure US partners. But that was not Trump's concern.


France 24
2 hours ago
- France 24
Hundreds rally in Scotland to protest against Trump's golf visit
US President Donald Trump played golf under tight security on the first full day of a visit to Scotland Saturday, as hundreds of protesters took to the streets in major cities. Trump played at his Turnberry resort with son Eric and US ambassador to the UK Warren Stephens, waving to photographers following his arrival in his mother's birth country on Friday evening. His presence has turned the picturesque and normally quiet area of southwest Scotland into a virtual fortress, with roads closed and police checkpoints in place. Police officers -- some on quad bikes and others on foot with sniffer dogs -- patrolled the famous course and the sandy beaches and grass dunes that flank it. Secret Service snipers were positioned at vantage points while some other golfers on the course were patted down by security personnel. 01:43 The 79-year-old Trump touched down Friday at nearby Prestwick Airport as hundreds of onlookers came out to see Air Force One and catch a glimpse of its famous passenger. The president has professed a love of Scotland, but his controversial politics and business investments in the country have made for an uneasy relationship. Speaking to reporters on the tarmac, Trump immediately waded into the debate surrounding high levels of irregular migration, and lashed out at renewable energy efforts. "You better get your act together or you're not going to have Europe anymore," he said, adding that migration was "killing" the continent. "Stop the windmills. You're ruining your countries," he added. Trump's five-day visit, which is set to mix leisure with business and diplomacy, has divided the local community. Several hundred protesters demonstrated outside the US consulate in the capital Edinburgh and in the city of Aberdeen, near where Trump owns another golf resort. The protests were organised by the Stop Trump Coalition. Participants held placards with slogans like "Scotland hates Trump" and waved Palestinian flags. "I am here because of fascism in America under Trump's rule. I am here because of genocide in Gaza that is being funded and enabled by British and American governments," said 44-year-old Amy Hanlon in Aberdeen. No demonstrations could be seen near Turnberry. Trade talks Not everyone was against his visit. At Prestwick Airport on Friday evening a boy held a sign that read "Welcome Trump" while a man waved a flag emblazoned with Trump's most famous slogan -- "Make America Great Again". "I think the best thing about Trump is he's not actually a politician yet he's the most powerful man in the world and I think he's looking at the best interests of his own country," said 46-year-old Lee McLean, who had travelled from nearby Kilmarnock. 01:44 "Most politicians should really be looking at the best interests of their own country first before looking overseas," he told AFP. Trump had no public events scheduled for Saturday, but he posted on his Truth Social network to say he was talking with the leaders of Cambodia and Thailand in a bid to end their border conflict that has left at least 33 people dead. Trump is due to discuss trade with EU chief Ursula von der Leyen in Turnberry on Sunday. He is also due to meet UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, before heading to Balmedie in Aberdeenshire where he is expected to formally open a new golf course at his resort there. King Charles III.