In Chile, Lula calls for unity against the far right and its 'interventionist practices'

President Lula (Workers' Party) advocated on Monday 21st, during an event in Santiago, Chile, for the regulation of social media and the fight against disinformation, amid what he called "a new anti-democratic offensive." Without directly mentioning Donald Trump , he called for unity against the re-emergence of "interventionist practices."

The statement came after a meeting between Lula and four other progressive leaders: the presidents of Chile, Gabriel Boric, Colombia, Gustavo Petro, and Uruguay, Yamandú Orsi, and the Prime Minister of Spain, Pedro Sánchez.

The meeting gained even more weight with the decision of the President of the United States, Donald Trump , to tax imports of Brazilian products by 50% and to try to interfere in the case against former President Jair Bolsonaro (PL) for attempted coup.

According to Lula, the global situation has worsened since Spain and Brazil held a meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in September 2024.

"The situation we face demands concrete and urgent action," the Workers' Party member stated. "Liberal democracy has not been able to respond to contemporary desires and needs. Carrying out the electoral ritual every four or five years is no longer sufficient."

In view of this, according to Lula, it is necessary to strengthen democratic institutions and multilateralism.

"We agree on the need to regulate digital platforms and combat disinformation, to restore the state's ability to protect its citizens," he continued. Data transparency and global digital governance are key to a free and pluralistic public debate, he reinforced.

Lula declared that the defense of democracy is not the sole responsibility of governments and depends on the active participation of intellectuals, parliaments, civil society, the press, and the private sector.

“At a time when extremism is trying to revive interventionist practices, we need to act together” , demanded the Brazilian president.

Under the motto “Democracy Forever,” the meeting in Chile took place at a time of advances by far-right parties and governments in Europe and Latin America.

“Today, in many parts of the world, democracy is under threat,” Gabriel Boric said at the start of the meeting at the La Moneda presidential palace.

He also denounced “disinformation, extremism of any kind, the rise of hatred, corruption, the concentration of power, and inequality that undermines trust in the public sphere and the rule of law.”