The Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, is building an international profile that is distinctly left-wing and social democratic, positioning himself as a reference in opposition to the worldviews promoted by figures like Donald Trump. This strategy, which has brought him benefits both externally and internally, culminates in two key events taking place in Barcelona.
The main objective is to send a clear message: a progressive alternative exists to the growing wave of the global far-right. This discourse, which forms the core of his political proposal, will be reinforced by the presence of prominent international supporters.
To achieve this, Sánchez leverages his dual role as Prime Minister of Spain and Secretary General of the PSOE. On Friday, the Palau de Pedralbes hosts the first bilateral Spain-Brazil summit, an unprecedented event with a Latin American country. On Saturday, a meeting in defense of democracy will bring together some fifteen presidents, vice-presidents, and heads of state from around the world.
It is a summit that champions the left where left-wing policies are already being implemented, confronting territories where the right holds sway.
Among the attendees in Barcelona will be figures such as Brazilian President Lula da Silva, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, Colombian Gustavo Petro, Uruguayan President Yamandú Orsi, and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. Additionally, the PSOE is organizing the Global Progressive Mobilisation, promoted by Sánchez and the leader of European socialists, Stefan Löfven, with Lula da Silva participating in the closing ceremony at Fira de Barcelona.
Both the Spanish government and the PSOE have emphasized the importance of these events, which place the Catalan capital at the center of media attention. Party sources highlight that it is an opportunity to showcase the socialist presence in Catalan institutions, with Mayor Jaume Collboni, President Salvador Illa, and Pedro Sánchez himself.
The bilateral Spain-Brazil summit, the first of its kind with a Latin American country, underscores the strategic relationship between both nations, with Spain being the second-largest investor in Brazil. Agreements are expected in economic, commercial, cooperation, innovation, social policies, gender equality, and non-racial discrimination.
The meeting in defense of democracy, for its part, seeks to establish mechanisms to protect institutions from the far-right, promote multilateralism, combat disinformation and hate on social networks, and drive policies against extremism and inequalities. One of the objectives is to advance the proposal for a Latin American woman to assume the presidency of the United Nations.
The presence of Claudia Sheinbaum, the Mexican president, is particularly significant, as it symbolizes the thawing of relations between Spain and Mexico, following moves such as King Felipe VI's acknowledgment of abuses during the conquest of America. This summit, conceived by Sánchez and Lula in New York in 2024, reaches its fourth edition as a response to the global rise of the far-right.
The Global Progressive Mobilisation, with an expected attendance of over 3,000 people, especially for the closing, is conceived as a show of strength by the left. With a hundred activities and the participation of political leaders, unions, think tanks, and mayors from around the world, the event seeks to offer a global and alternative response to the rise of the right and far-right. The meeting will culminate in a final declaration with four axes of action: defense of democracy, social justice, climate policies, and management of artificial intelligence.
