Portrait of Lula da Silva
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Lula da Silva on BRICS

Advocate for multipolar reform (strong)

TL;DR

Lula da Silva strongly advocates for BRICS to reform global governance and act as a force for peace against rising unilateralism.

Key Points

  • He called for a fundamental reform of the UN Security Council during the 17th BRICS Summit in July 2025 to increase its legitimacy and representation.

  • The leader advocates for BRICS to demonstrate that cooperation prevails over rivalry, criticizing the normalization of 'tariff blackmail' as a market conquest tool in September 2025.

  • He stated that the BRICS bloc is an indispensable actor in the struggle for a multipolar, less asymmetrical, and more peaceful world during a July 2025 speech.

Summary

Lula da Silva champions the BRICS bloc as a crucial entity for reforming the global multilateral system, pushing for a multipolar reality in the 21st century. He views the group, representing 40% of global GDP, as having the necessary legitimacy to challenge the status quo, particularly the dominance of existing post-war institutions. Evidence of this stance includes calling for a fundamental reform of the UN Security Council to make it more representative and democratic, advocating for new permanent members from Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean. He stressed that BRICS is an heir to the Non-Aligned Movement, dedicated to fostering cooperation over rivalry and resisting unilateralism and "tariff blackmail" from larger powers.

He has also focused the bloc on economic and financial governance, criticizing the current system where emerging economies finance the developed world through mechanisms like the IMF and World Bank. The president pushes for greater voting power for BRICS members at the IMF and supports the New Development Bank as an alternative financing source for a just transition. Furthermore, the leader frames BRICS as a key platform for promoting peace, prevention, and mediation of conflicts, contrasting this with increased global military spending, urging resources be diverted to development agendas.

Frequently Asked Questions

Lula da Silva's primary goal is for BRICS to serve as a leading force in reforming global governance to establish a new, multipolar reality. He strongly believes the bloc should actively promote peace, prevent conflicts, and counter growing unilateralism across international relations. This vision includes significant transformations within existing multilateral institutions like the UN.

The president supports intensifying cross-border payment systems within the bloc to facilitate trade and services through faster, cheaper, and safer means. While currency cooperation is rising, reports suggest BRICS members still face constraints in completely moving away from the US dollar for all transactions. His focus appears to be on strengthening intra-bloc financial mechanisms rather than declaring an immediate end to the dollar's dominance.

He has repeatedly urged BRICS leaders to focus spending away from military efforts and toward implementing the UN's 2030 Agenda for sustainable development, stating it is easier to invest in war than in peace. He argues the bloc's diversity grants it the capacity to act as a force capable of promoting peace and mediating conflicts. This was a key theme at the July 2025 summit in Rio de Janeiro.