Pedro Sánchez and Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva signed 15 bilateral agreements at their first summit in Barcelona, kicking off a forum opposing U.S. interventionist policies. Sánchez decried a 'reactionary wave' attacking peace, while Lula questioned the UN's weakening. Leaders from several Global South nations are joining the talks.
The bilateral summit in Barcelona between Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva led to 15 agreements on critical minerals, telecommunications, and artificial intelligence. "The relationship between Spain and Brazil goes far beyond the strictly bilateral," Sánchez stated after the signing. The event launches two days of talks with heads of state from nations like Mexico, South Africa, Colombia, and Uruguay, who spoke on Saturday.
The leaders voiced shared opposition to the war in Iran and U.S. interventionist foreign policy outside international institutions. "I perfectly understand when you say ‘No to war’," Lula said alongside Sánchez. "The UN is greatly weakened today. The nations that created it do not respect it," he added. Sánchez is pushing multilateral reforms to amplify Global South voices.
Sánchez has openly criticized Donald Trump's actions, calling the Iran intervention "illegal" and barring Spanish airspace and U.S. bases from supporting attacks. Trump retaliated by threatening to cut trade deals with Spain. Spain also refused to raise defense spending to the 5% GDP target set by the U.S. for NATO allies, sticking to 2.1%.
Earlier this week in China, Sánchez urged the West to relinquish quotas in global bodies. Lula noted that "our group is growing because the world needs hope" amid fewer progressives.
