International

‘Brazil is back,’ Lula hails at Latin America leaders summit

Photo: Luis Robayo / AFP

January 25 | By AFP | Philippe Bernes-Lasserre / Mauricio Rabuffetti |

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva declared Tuesday that his country is “back in the region” after joining more than a dozen other Latin American leaders at a summit in Buenos Aires.

Less than a month after his inauguration, Lula arrived in the Argentine capital looking to rebuild bridges after his far-right predecessor Jair Bolsonaro had pulled out of the grouping.

“Brazil is back in the region and ready to work side-by-side with you with a very strong feeling of solidarity and closeness,” said the 77-year-old leader during the seventh Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) summit, which brings together 33 nations.

Lula, who previously served as Brazil’s president from 2003-10, was one of the founders of CELAC during the first “pink wave” of leftward political shifts on the continent over a decade ago.

20260224_estafa_mh_728x90

But Bolsonaro pulled Brazil out of the group over what he perceived as its support for undemocratic governments in Nicaragua, Venezuela and Cuba.

Lula spoke Tuesday about the “multiple crises” affecting the world — from the pandemic to climate change, geopolitical tensions, food insecurities and threats to democracy.

“All this happens in the midst of an unacceptable rise in inequality, poverty and hunger,” said Lula, the only leader to publicize his speech at the summit.

Democracy and its threats — especially from the far right — were a central theme of the summit.

“We cannot allow the recalcitrant and fascist far right to put our institutions and our people in peril,” said the host of the forum, Argentina’s center-left President Alberto Fernandez, in opening remarks.

20260224_estafa_mh_728x90

He pointed to the riots by Bolsonaro supporters at the seats of power in Brasilia earlier this month and the alleged attempt to assassinate his vice president, Cristina Kirchner, in September.

But Fernandez made no mention of communist Cuba or the accusations of political oppression made against radical leftist regimes in Venezuela, Nicaragua and Bolivia.

In fact, with Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel in attendance, Fernandez called for an end to the US-led blockade of Cuba and Venezuela.

They are “a perverse method of punishment, not of the governments but of the people,” Fernandez said.

‘Latin America is bankrupt’

Host Argentina this week hailed a “new climate in Latin America,” with the region ushering in a fresh wave of left or center-left governments since 2018 — including Mexico, Argentina, Honduras, Chile, Colombia and Brazil.

20260224_estafa_mh_728x90

A forum for consultation and cooperation, CELAC has no power to enforce any agreements between its members.

And while Fernandez stressed the need to “strengthen the institutions in our region,” CELAC is struggling to unite members over successive regional crises, such as in Peru.

“Latin America is bankrupt from the institutional point of view,” Ignacio Bartesaghi, an international relations expert at the Catholic University of Uruguay, told AFP.

“There is not even certain basic consensus in Latin America, as on the difference between a democracy and a dictatorship,” he stressed.

“There are (at CELAC) presidents who do not even recognize each other,” he noted, alluding to situations such as Paraguay’s Mario Abdo Benitez, whose country broke diplomatic relations with Nicolas Maduro’s Venezuela in 2019.

20260224_estafa_mh_728x90

‘Absence of dialogue’

Maduro called off his own trip to the gathering at the last minute, citing “a risk of aggression” from “the neo-fascist right,” a possible reference to some Argentine opposition politicians calling for him to be arrested on arrival.

He was due on Monday to meet with Lula, who instead held talks with Diaz-Canel.

He sent a message to the forum blasting the “criminal sanctions” against his government, in particular against the state oil company PDVSA.

Other significant absentees in Buenos Aires include Mexico’s left-wing President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, leader of the second largest economy in Latin America and host in 2021 of the last CELAC summit.

CELAC however remains the partner of choice for China and the European Union to negotiate when cooperating with the region.

20260224_estafa_mh_728x90

But the last joint-EU summit was in 2015, highlighting the lack of regional consensus, says Bernabe Malacalza, researcher at the CONICET Argentine national research center.

In this sense, the return of Lula could give a boost to certain sub-regional issues, such as the free-trade agreement between the EU and the Mercosur group which comprises Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay.

The deal was finalized in 2019 but never ratified, due in particular to concerns about Bolsonaro’s environmental policy.

Lula has indicated a willingness to resume contacts.

Meanwhile, Uruguayan president Luis Lacalle Pou proposed a free-trade zone extending from “Mexico to the south of South America.”

20260224_estafa_mh_728x90

Related Topics:Brazil Latin America Lula

Up Next

Fresh clashes in Lima as president seeks ‘truce’

Don't Miss

Peru president calls for ‘truce’ after weeks of unrest

20260224_estafa_mh_300x250

International

Oil prices surge again as Middle East tensions persist

Oil prices climbed again on Friday for a second consecutive session, as markets remained concerned about a prolonged conflict in the Middle East with no tangible diplomatic progress.

North Sea Brent crude for May delivery rose 4.22% to close at $112.57 per barrel.

Meanwhile, U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) approached the $100 mark, settling at $99.64, up 5.46%.

The decision by U.S. President Donald Trump to delay by ten days his ultimatum for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz failed to reassure market participants.

“It means there will be ten additional days of disruptions in the Middle East for crude and refined product flows,” said Andy Lipow, of Lipow Oil Associates.

20260224_estafa_mh_728x90

“For prices to come down, a resolution to the conflict is necessary,” Lipow added. “And even in the event of a ceasefire, it is not certain that Iran would allow oil shipments to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.”

International

Young Spanish Woman Receives Euthanasia After Legal Battle, Sparking Debate

A 25-year-old Spanish woman, Noelia Castillo, received euthanasia on Thursday following a prolonged legal dispute with her father.

She passed away at a care center in Sant Pere de Ribes, about 40 kilometers from Barcelona, where she had been living for some time, according to Spanish media reports.

In an interview broadcast a day earlier on Antena 3, Castillo expressed her exhaustion after enduring prolonged suffering. She indicated that her decision was influenced by a combination of personal circumstances and health-related challenges, including family conflicts and a condition of paraplegia following a previous incident that left her with lasting physical consequences.

Spain legalized euthanasia in 2021, becoming one of the few countries that allow patients under strict conditions to seek medical assistance to end their lives in order to avoid what the law defines as unbearable suffering.

The case has reignited debate in Spain over the ethical, legal, and family dimensions surrounding euthanasia, as well as the broader issue of support for individuals in vulnerable situations.

20260224_estafa_mh_728x90

International

Over 300 U.S. Troops Wounded Since Start of Iran Conflict, CENTCOM Says

More than 300 U.S. service members have been injured since the start of the conflict with Iran on February 28, the United States Central Command confirmed on Friday.

“Since the beginning of Operation Epic Fury, approximately 303 U.S. service members have been wounded. The vast majority of these injuries are minor, and 273 troops have already returned to duty,” said U.S. Navy Captain Tim Hawkins.

A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity to AFP, indicated that 10 American troops remain seriously injured.

According to the latest figures, an additional 13 U.S. service members have been killed since the conflict began, including seven in the Gulf region and six in Iraq.

Meanwhile, Iran’s armed forces warned on Friday that hotels hosting U.S. troops in the region could be considered legitimate military targets.

20260224_estafa_mh_728x90

“When U.S. forces enter a hotel, from our perspective that hotel becomes American,” said armed forces spokesperson Abolfazl Shekarchi in remarks broadcast on state television.