MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Santiago Summit: Leaders agree that democracy is under threat

“it is never a bad time to strengthen democracy,” Boric underlined

Progressive leaders convened in Santiago de Chile Monday at the “Democracy Forever” event hosted by President Gabriel Boric Font, during which they concurred on the importance of strengthening multilateralism in a world facing “deep uncertainty.” This summit was a continuation of the “In defense of democracy: fighting extremism” initiative, previously held during the 79th United Nations General Assembly.

The discussions addressed critical issues, including the defense of democracy and multilateralism, combating disinformation and regulating digital technologies, as well as extremism and inequality.

In a joint statement, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and Presidents Yamandú Orsi of Uruguay, Gustavo Petro of Colombia, and Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil acknowledged together with their host that a “profound uncertainty” was challenging democratic values. They emphasized the need for renewed multilateralism, reform of international governance, and active democratic diplomacy to counter democratic regression, reaffirming their commitment to peace.

Following the meeting, Petro highlighted an “era of irrationalism that destroys multilateralism,” leading to violence and “genocide,” Orsi called for self-criticism regarding the erosion of trust in democracy, Sánchez warned of a “real threat” from an “international of hatred and lies” formed by oligarchs and the far-right, Lula noted that liberal democracy has not met contemporary needs, stating that “performing the electoral ritual every four or five years is no longer enough,” and Boric concluded that democracy was “under attack” globally. He reiterated that the meeting was a “political act” with concrete proposals.

In addition, Boric pointed out that “it is never a bad time to strengthen democracy and unrestricted respect for human rights, international law, justice, and equality.” He also called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, urging the UN Security Council to ensure humanitarian aid.

In a separate discussion, Lula noted that a tariff war with the United States would begin “when I respond to [US President Donald] Trump, if he does not change his mind,” regarding recent measures affecting foreign trade. Lula admitted that this issue was not discussed at the democracy summit.