Leftists meet in Chile to ‘strengthen democracy’

Leaders call for unity amid rise in extremism, writes Pedro Schwarze

- Pedro Schwarze

The leftist leaders of Spain and four South American nations met in Chile on Monday to appeal for unity in the face of US protectionism and a rise in extremism worldwide.

They gathered under the motto “democracy always” against the backdrop of US President Donald Trump's expanding tariff war and America’s worsening ties with several erstwhile allies.

“Today, in many parts of the world, democracy is under threat,’ Chilean President Gabriel Boric said as he opened the summit with counterparts Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of Brazil, Gustavo Petro of Colombia, Uruguay's Yamandu Orsi and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.

He blamed “disinformation, extremism of all kinds, the advance of hatred, corruption, the concentration of power and inequality.”