MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Progressive leaders gather to defend democracy and shared values

Lula asked the panel if progressive governments were to account for the far-right's rise

Progressive South American leaders joined Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez on Wednesday at a United Nations roundtable on “In Defense of Democracy,” an event held in the framework of the 80th General Assembly in New York.

 Uruguayan President Yamandú Orsi quoted former Uruguayan President José Mujica, stating that he “misses” their conversations. Orsi argued that Western democracy needs to re-evaluate itself, not just on modern issues but also on core goals like human happiness. He believes that a key objective of political struggle, especially for the left, is to ensure people have the freedom to decide their own governments and destinies, and to make time for the things that make them happy. His speech focused on “revitalizing democracy” and “taking up the banner of freedom.”

Chilean President Gabriel Boric Font, who moderated the discussion, stated that “progressivism” leads to more prosperous countries with greater social justice, while Brazil's Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva reflected on his own political journey and asked the group if left-wing governments had made mistakes that led to the rise of the far right.

The leaders, who also consider Mexico's President Sheinbaum part of the initiative, are focusing on three main areas: strengthening democracy, fighting disinformation, and combating inequality.

Meanwhile, Colombian President Gustavo Petro compared the US administration of President Donald Trump's “irrationalism” to Nazi Germany and called for a global debate on the influence of tech moguls like Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg on democracy.

Under Trump, there was no US delegation at the gathering, unlike the previous year.

The event was also attended by high-ranking officials, diplomats, scholars, and Nobel laureates, including Economist Joseph Stiglitz, who endorsed the initiative.