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<div class="gmail-zox-post-top-wrap gmail-zoxrel gmail-left gmail-zox100"><div class="gmail-zox-post-title-wrap gmail-zox-tit2"><div class="gmail-zox-post-width"><div class="gmail-zox-post-head gmail-zoxrel"><h1 class="gmail-zox-post-title gmail-left entry-title">As Trump threatens BRICS, it grows stronger, resisting US dollar and Western imperialism</h1>
<span class="gmail-zox-post-excerpt"><p>Donald Trump threatened tariffs
on BRICS, claiming the group is \u201cdead\u201d, but it is growing. 10 members
and 10 partners participated in a summit in Brazil, discussing
dedollarization, decolonization, trade and investment in local
currencies, and how to create a more multipolar global order. </p>
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<div class="gmail-zox-author-name-wrap"><p>By <span class="gmail-zox-author-name gmail-vcard gmail-fn gmail-author"><a href="https://geopoliticaleconomy.com/author/ben-norton/">Ben Norton</a></span>
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<p>July 10, 2025 -<font size="1"> <a href="https://geopoliticaleconomy.com/2025/07/10/trump-threat-brics-us-dollar-western-imperialism/">https://geopoliticaleconomy.com/2025/07/10/trump-threat-brics-us-dollar-western-imperialism/</a></font></p></div>
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<p>The
Global South-led organization BRICS has been growing in size and
influence, and this has frightened some Western politicians.</p>
<p>Donald Trump is particularly rattled. After he returned to the White
House for his second term as US president, Trump threatened very high
tariffs on BRICS, and falsely said he had destroyed the organization.</p>
<p></p>
<p><a href="https://fortune.com/asia/2025/02/14/trump-threatens-brics-tariffs-challenge-us-dollar/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">\u201cBRICS is dead\u201d, Trump claimed</a> in a press conference on 13 February. The US president stated:</p>
<blockquote><p>BRICS was put there for a bad purpose, and most of those
people don\u2019t want \u2014 they don\u2019t even want to talk about it now; they\u2019re
afraid to talk about it.</p>
<p>Because I told them, if they want to play games with the dollar, then
they\u2019re going to be hit with a 100% tariff, the day they mention that
they want to do it. And they will come back and say, \u201cWe beg you, we beg
you not to do this\u201d.</p>
<p>BRICS is dead, since I mentioned that. BRICS died the minute I mentioned that.</p>
<p>And I know, I remember when Obama and Biden in particular, I guess he
said that, \u201cOh, they have us over a barrel\u201d. They don\u2019t have us over a
barrel; we have them over a barrel.</p>
<p>If BRICS wants to play games, those countries won\u2019t trade with us; we
won\u2019t trade with them. And if any trading gets through, it\u2019ll be a 100%
tariff, at least.</p></blockquote>
<p>Trump\u2019s claim that \u201cBRICS is dead\u201d could not be further from the
truth. The exact opposite is happening: BRICS is continuously expanding.</p>
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</div>Participants in the 2025 BRICS summit in Brazil
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<h3>2025 BRICS summit in Río de Janeiro, Brazil</h3>
<p>In July, representatives of BRICS countries gathered in Brazil for an
annual summit. This was the first meeting that featured the 10 partner
countries that were added to BRICS in 2025, in addition to the new
members that were admitted in 2024.</p>
<div id="gmail-attachment_15072" style="width:1930px" class="gmail-wp-caption gmail-aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-15072" class="gmail-size-full gmail-wp-image-15072 gmail-lazy gmail-loaded" src="https://i0.wp.com/geopoliticaleconomy.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/BRICS-2025-summit-Rio-de-Janeiro-Brazil-members-leaders.jpg?resize=880%2C495&ssl=1" alt="Representatives of the 10 BRICS members at the 2025 summit in Brazil" width="467" height="263" style="margin-right: 0px;"><p id="gmail-caption-attachment-15072" class="gmail-wp-caption-text">Representatives of the 10 BRICS members at the 2025 summit in Brazil</p></div>
<p>BRICS now consists of 20 countries.</p>
<p>The 10 BRICS members are the founding five \u2014 Brazil, Russia, India,
China, and South Africa \u2014 plus Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, and the
United Arab Emirates.</p>
<p>The 10 BRICS partners are Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam.</p>
<p><img class="gmail-aligncenter gmail-size-full gmail-wp-image-15052 gmail-lazy gmail-loaded" src="https://i0.wp.com/geopoliticaleconomy.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/BRICS-20-members-partners-map-July-2025.jpg?resize=880%2C495&ssl=1" alt="BRICS 20 members partners map July 2025" width="467" height="263" style="margin-right: 0px;"></p>
<p>The <a href="https://brics.br/en/news/brics-summit-signs-historic-commitment-in-rio-for-more-inclusive-and-sustainable-governance" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">2025 BRICS summit in Río de Janeiro</a> was historic, because it included for the first time the <a href="https://en.vietnamplus.vn/expanded-brics-summit-2025-vietnam-attends-for-first-time-as-partner-country-post322240.vnp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">participation of Vietnam</a>, which had been <a href="https://brics.br/en/news/vietnam-joins-brics-as-a-partner-country" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">admitted to the group</a> in June.</p>
<p>Geopolitical Economy Report previously detailed how the <a href="https://geopoliticaleconomy.com/2025/07/04/brics-expansion-population-gdp-vietnam/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">US government has tried to divide China and Vietnam</a>, in an unsuccessful attempt to recruit Hanoi for Washington\u2019s Cold War Two against Beijing.</p>
<p>Vietnam\u2019s decision to join BRICS was a clear sign that its foreign policy remains independent and non-aligned.</p>
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</div>Vietnam\u2019s Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh with Brazil\u2019s President Lula da Silva at the 2025 BRICS summit
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<p>Moreover, on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Brazil, Reuters
reported that Vietnam\u2019s Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and China\u2019s
Premier Li Qiang held a friendly meeting, and \u201c<a href="https://www.reuters.com/markets/asia/vietnam-china-agree-boost-trade-ties-trump-tariffs-hit-2025-07-08/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">agreed to boost trade</a> and investment ties\u201d.</p>
<p>The 2025 BRICS summit also featured the participation of Cuba\u2019s President Miguel Díaz-Canel.</p>
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</div>Cuba\u2019s President Miguel Díaz-Canel at the 2025 BRICS summit in Brazil
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<p>This was symbolic, given that Cuba has suffered under illegal US
sanctions and a devastating blockade for more than 60 years, despite the
fact that, every year the United Nations General Assembly, nearly every
country on Earth votes to demand an end to the criminal US embargo.</p>
<p><img class="gmail-aligncenter gmail-size-full gmail-wp-image-13431 gmail-lazy gmail-loaded" src="https://i0.wp.com/geopoliticaleconomy.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Cuba-blockade-UN-vote-2024-map.jpg?resize=880%2C495&ssl=1" alt="Cuba blockade UN vote 2024 map" width="467" height="263" style="margin-right: 0px;"></p>
<p>The vision that BRICS has for a more multipolar world, where the
Global South is equal and the colonialist nations of the Global North no
longer have an unfair \u201cexorbitant privilege\u201d, is very attractive to
most countries on Earth.</p>
<p>Even the United States\u2019 top trading partner and southern neighbor, <a href="https://www.gob.mx/sre/articulos/secretary-de-la-fuente-arrives-in-rio-de-janeiro-for-brics-summit-on-behalf-of-president-sheinbaum-402359" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Mexico, participated in the BRICS summit</a> in Río de Janeiro.</p>
<p>Mexico\u2019s progressive President Claudia Sheinbaum sent Foreign
Secretary Juan Ramón de la Fuente to Brazil to participate, even though
Mexico is not officially a member or partner of BRICS.</p>
<p>The Mexican government announced that it had been invited to serve as
an \u201cobserver\u201d by Brazil, which holds the annual rotating BRICS
presidency for 2025.</p>
<h3>Trump threatens more tariffs on BRICS countries</h3>
<p>The US president clearly was unsettled by the BRICS summit held in Brazil on 6 July, because on that day he took to his <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114809574296066307" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">website Truth Social to threaten</a> the organization.</p>
<p>\u201cAny Country aligning themselves with the Anti-American policies of
BRICS, will be charged an ADDITIONAL 10% Tariff\u201d, Trump wrote.</p>
<p>\u201cThere will be no exceptions to this policy\u201d, he added.</p>
<p><img class="gmail-aligncenter gmail-size-full gmail-wp-image-15068 gmail-lazy gmail-loaded" src="https://i0.wp.com/geopoliticaleconomy.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Trump-threat-tariffs-BRICS-TruthSocial-post-July-2025.png?resize=880%2C425&ssl=1" alt="Trump threat tariffs BRICS Truth Social post July 2025" width="467" height="226" style="margin-right: 0px;"></p>
<p>This 10% tariff threat was a significant reduction of the 100% duty
that Trump had originally vowed to impose on BRICS countries.</p>
<p>Brazil\u2019s President Lula da Silva shot back at Trump\u2019s threats,
implying that the US president was trying to become a global \u201cemperor\u201d.</p>
<p>\u201cThe world has changed. <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/china/brics-nations-resist-anti-american-label-after-trump-tariff-threat-2025-07-07/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">We don\u2019t want an emperor\u201d, Lula said</a>.</p>
<p>\u201cThis is a set of countries that wants to find another way of
organizing the world from the economic perspective\u201d, Lula added. \u201cI
think that\u2019s why the BRICS are making people uncomfortable\u201d.</p>
<h3>Trump falsely claimed that Spain is part of BRICS</h3>
<p>Nevertheless, it should be underscored that Trump doesn\u2019t really understand what BRICS is.</p>
<p>In a White House press conference in January, Trump again threatened BRICS, and he falsely <a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-spain-brics-nato-tariffs-defense-spending-9871cf04825c92e073865ca8bede4077" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">claimed that Spain is part</a> of the Global South-led organization. The European nation is not involved, and never has been.</p>
<p>Trump said:</p>
<blockquote><p>They\u2019re a BRICS nation, Spain. You know what a BRICS
nation is? You\u2019ll figure it out. But \u2014 and if the BRICS nations want to
do that, that\u2019s okay, but we\u2019re going to put at least a 100% tariff on
the business they do with the United States.</p>
<p>You know what the BRICS is, right? You guys know, you know what I\u2019m saying, you know what I\u2019m saying.</p></blockquote>
<h3>BRICS: 44% of global GDP (PPP), 56% of world population</h3>
<p>The US government\u2019s fear of BRICS is rooted in the Global South-led organization\u2019s increasing power.</p>
<p>The 20 BRICS members and partners already represent more than two-fifths of the global economy: <a href="https://geopoliticaleconomy.com/2025/07/04/brics-expansion-population-gdp-vietnam/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">43.93% of world GDP</a>, when measured at purchasing power parity (PPP).</p>
<p><img class="gmail-aligncenter gmail-size-full gmail-wp-image-15049 gmail-lazy gmail-loaded" src="https://i0.wp.com/geopoliticaleconomy.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/BRICS-share-world-economy-GDP-PPP-2025-scaled.png?resize=880%2C587&ssl=1" alt="BRICS share world economy GDP PPP 2025" width="467" height="312" style="margin-right: 0px;"></p>
<p>The BRICS 20 also have a combined population of 4.45 billion, meaning
they represent 55.61% of the global population \u2014 the majority of the
world.</p>
<p><img class="gmail-aligncenter gmail-size-full gmail-wp-image-15048 gmail-lazy gmail-loaded" src="https://i0.wp.com/geopoliticaleconomy.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/BRICS-majority-world-population-4.45-billion-2025-scaled.png?resize=880%2C587&ssl=1" alt="BRICS majority world population 4.45 billion 2025" width="467" height="312" style="margin-right: 0px;"></p>
<h3>BRICS discusses dedollarization</h3>
<p>One of the key issues discussed at the 2025 BRICS summit was
dedollarization \u2014 the attempt to create alternatives to the US dollar as
the global reserve currency.</p>
<p>Brazil\u2019s left-wing President Lula da Silva has long been an <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/669260a5-82a5-4e7a-9bbf-4f41c54a6143" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">advocate of dedollarization</a>.</p>
<p>\u201cThe world needs to find a way that our trade relations don\u2019t have to pass through the dollar\u201d, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/china/brics-nations-resist-anti-american-label-after-trump-tariff-threat-2025-07-07/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Lula said at the BRICS summit</a>.</p>
<p>\u201cObviously, we have to be responsible about doing that carefully. Our
central banks have to discuss it with central banks from other
countries\u201d, the Brazilian leader explained, according to Reuters. He
added, \u201cThat\u2019s something that happens gradually until it\u2019s
consolidated\u201d.</p>
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<p>Lula qualified that dedollarization is \u201ccomplicated\u201d and will be a
slow, gradual process, but he maintained that it is necessary.</p>
<p>At the 2025 BRICS summit, the Brazilian president even reiterated his
call for the creation of a new global currency to challenge the US
dollar.</p>
<p>\u201cThat\u2019s why your debate about the <a href="https://valorinternational.globo.com/foreign-affairs/news/2025/07/07/brics-revisits-complex-push-to-reduce-dollar-in-trade.ghtml" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">need for a new trade currency is so important</a>.
Is it complicated? I know. There are political challenges. But if we
don\u2019t find a new formula, we\u2019ll end the 21st century the same way we
started the 20th. And that won\u2019t benefit humanity\u201d, Lula said.</p>
<h3>BRICS initiatives to advance dedollarization</h3>
<p>At the summit on 6 July, 2025, the 20 BRICS members and partners signed a lengthy joint statement. The <a href="https://brics.br/en/news/brics-summit-signs-historic-commitment-in-rio-for-more-inclusive-and-sustainable-governance" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Rio de Janeiro Declaration</a> was 31 pages long, and consisted of 126 points, encompassing a wide variety of subjects.</p>
<p><img class="gmail-aligncenter gmail-size-full gmail-wp-image-15069 gmail-lazy gmail-loaded" src="https://i0.wp.com/geopoliticaleconomy.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/BRICS-2025-summit-Rio-de-Janeiro-Declaration.png?resize=880%2C438&ssl=1" alt="BRICS 2025 summit Rio de Janeiro Declaration" width="467" height="232" style="margin-right: 0px;"></p>
<p>The joint declaration made many references to BRICS initiatives to encourage dedollarization.</p>
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<p>It called to strengthen the BRICS bank, the New Development Bank
(NDB), to \u201csupport its growing role as a robust and strategic agent of
development and modernization in the Global South\u201d.</p>
<p>In particular, the document emphasized the need for the NDB to \u201cexpand local currency financing\u201d.</p>
<p>The BRICS declaration similarly urged further development of the
Contingent Reserve Arrangement (CRA), which could serve as an
alternative to the US-dominated International Monetary Fund (IMF), by
providing short-term liquidity to countries facing balance-of-payments
crises.</p>
<p>Another initiative discussed in the document was the New Investment
Platform (NIP), which seeks to facilitate investments in local
currencies, instead of US dollars, British pounds, or euro.</p>
<p>The declaration addressed the BRICS Interbank Cooperation Mechanism
(ICM), which is working on \u201cfinding acceptable mechanisms of financing
in local currencies\u201d.</p>
<p>The joint statement also highlighted the work of the BRICS
Cross-Border Payments Initiative and BRICS Payment Task Force (BPTF),
which it noted are identifying \u201cthe potential for greater
interoperability of BRICS payment systems\u201d, as part of \u201cefforts to
facilitate fast, low-cost, more accessible, efficient, transparent, and
safe cross-border payments among BRICS countries and other nations and
which can support greater trade and investment flows\u201d.</p>
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</div>The president of the New Development Bank (NDB), Dilma Rousseff, at the 2025 BRICS summit in Brazil
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<h3>BRICS New Development Bank expands</h3>
<p>The current chief of the BRICS bank is Dilma Rousseff, the former president of Brazil, from Lula\u2019s left-wing Workers\u2019 Party.</p>
<p>She announced that two more countries had joined the New Development Bank: Colombia and Uzbekistan.</p>
<p>Colombia\u2019s accession was especially symbolic, given that the South
American nation has historically been one of the closest allies of the
United States.</p>
<p>Under its first ever left-wing president, Gustavo Petro, Colombia has
adopted a more non-aligned foreign policy, and has expressed support
for BRICS.</p>
<p>Just a few days before the BRICS summit, leaked audio recordings exposed the <a href="https://latinamericareports.com/former-colombian-minister-sought-u-s-help-in-overthrowing-president-petro-leaked-audios-reveal/11684/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">US government\u2019s links to a coup attempt</a> against Colombia\u2019s democratically elected left-wing leader.</p>
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<div class="gmail-image2-inset"><span><img class="gmail-sizing-normal gmail-lazy gmail-loaded" src="https://i0.wp.com/substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_%21_irl%21%2Cw_1456%2Cc_limit%2Cf_auto%2Cq_auto%3Agood%2Cfl_progressive%3Asteep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fdcab7b96-07da-4733-b5c1-5da76d7cf1f5_1428x951.jpeg?resize=880%2C586&ssl=1" alt="" width="467" height="311" style="margin-right: 25px;"></span></div>Colombia\u2019s President Gustavo Petro with Dilma Rousseff, the chief of the BRICS New Development Bank
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<p>With the addition of Colombia and Uzbekistan, the New Development
Bank now has 11 members, including the founding five of Brazil, Russia,
India, China, and South Africa, plus the United Arab Emirates,
Bangladesh, Egypt, and Algeria.</p>
<h3>BRICS promotes trade, investment, and lending in local currencies</h3>
<p>In her remarks at the BRICS summit, Dilma emphasized that the New Development Bank is promoting financing in local currencies.</p>
<p>\u201cAny business or government that borrows in foreign currency becomes
subject to decisions made by the Federal Reserve or other central banks
in developed nations\u201d, she said, warning of exchange-rate risk and
currency volatility.</p>
<p>As a positive example of an alternative, the <a href="https://brics.br/en/news/new-development-bank-consolidates-strategic-expansion-and-reinforces-commitment-to-sustainable-development-in-the-global-south" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">BRICS website noted</a> that Dilma \u201cpointed to a project in Brasil funded directly in renminbi, without the need for dollar conversion\u201d.</p>
<p>The official BRICS readout of Dilma\u2019s speech emphasized that
\u201clocal-currency operations will remain an absolute priority as a means
of building a more diverse, balanced international financial system\u201d.</p>
<p>Dedollarization will be slow and steady, the NDB president stressed.
The role of the US dollar as the global reserve currency will not end
overnight, \u201cBut the rise of initiatives to expand trade in local
currencies is undeniable, and I see that as a positive development\u201d,
Dilma explained.</p>
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<div class="gmail-image2-inset"><span><img class="gmail-sizing-normal gmail-lazy gmail-loaded" src="https://i0.wp.com/substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_%21oeIz%21%2Cw_1456%2Cc_limit%2Cf_auto%2Cq_auto%3Agood%2Cfl_progressive%3Asteep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1324f844-a6e5-4405-b8b5-157ca095e26b_4065x2250.jpeg?resize=880%2C487&ssl=1" alt="" width="467" height="258" style="margin-right: 25px;"></span></div>Brazil\u2019s President Lula da Silva at the 2025 BRICS summit
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<h3>BRICS follows in footsteps of Non-Aligned Movement and Bandung Conference</h3>
<p>In speeches they delivered at the 2025 summit, several Global South
leaders emphasized that they see BRICS as following in the footsteps of
the Non-Aligned Movement and the anti-colonial Bandung Conference of
1955.</p>
<p>Brazil\u2019s President Lula declared that \u201cBRICS is an indispensable
actor in the struggle for a multipolar, less asymmetrical, and more
peaceful world\u201d.</p>
<p>He lamented that the US-dominated international financial system
benefits the rich colonial countries at the expense of the poor,
formerly colonized ones.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.gov.br/planalto/en/follow-the-government/speeches-statements/2025/07/brics-president-lula2019s-speech-at-the-2nd-session-2013-strengthening-multilateralism-economic-financial-affairs-and-artificial-intelligence" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Lula stated</a> (emphasis added):</p>
<blockquote><p>The frameworks of the World Bank and the IMF currently support a \u201c<strong>reverse Marshall Plan</strong>,\u201d where <strong>emerging and developing economies essentially finance the more developed world.</strong></p>
<p>International aid flows have decreased, and debt costs for the poorest countries have soared. <strong>The neoliberal model only deepens inequalities.</strong></p>
<p>For instance, <strong>3000 billionaires have collectively earned USD 6.5 trillion since 2015.</strong></p>
<p><strong>Tax justice and the fight against tax evasion are essential</strong> to truly consolidate inclusive and sustainable growth strategies fit for the 21st century.</p></blockquote>
<p>In another speech at the BRICS summit, the <a href="https://www.gov.br/planalto/en/follow-the-government/speeches-statements/2025/07/president-lula2019s-statement-during-the-brics-peace-and-security-global-governance-session" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Brazilian president said</a> the following (emphasis added):</p>
<blockquote><p>The United Nations recently marked its 80<sup>th</sup> anniversary on June 26 of this year, and <strong>we are witnessing an unprecedented collapse of multilateralism.</strong></p>
<p>The <strong>advent of the UN marked the defeat of Nazi-Fascism</strong> and the birth of a sense of collective hope.</p>
<p>The vast majority of countries that currently comprise the BRICS were among its founders.</p>
<p>Ten years later, <strong>the Bandung Conference refuted the division
of the world into zones of influence and advanced the fight for a
multipolar international order.</strong></p>
<p><strong>BRICS is an heir of the Non-Aligned Movement.</strong></p>
<p>With <strong>multilateralism under attack,</strong> our autonomy is once again in check.</p>
<p>\u2026</p>
<p><strong>International law has become a dead letter</strong>, as has the pacific resolution of controversies.</p>
<p>We are before an <strong>unprecedented number of conflicts since World War II.</strong></p>
<p><strong>NATO\u2019s recent decision feeds the arms race.</strong></p>
<p>It is easier to <strong>designate 5% of the GDP to military spending</strong> than to allocate the 0.7% that has been promised for Official Development Assistance.</p></blockquote>
<p>Lula condemned the \u201cgenocidal practices by Israel in Gaza, the
indiscriminate killing of innocent civilians, and the use of starvation
as a weapon of war\u201d.</p>
<p>The Brazilian government demanded an \u201cend of the Israeli occupation and the establishment of a sovereign Palestinian State\u201d.</p>
<p>Lula also \u201cdenounced the violations of Iran\u2019s territorial integrity\u201d by the United States and Israel.</p>
<p>Lamenting the \u201closs of credibility and
paralysis\u201d in the UN Security Council, due to Washington\u2019s abuse of its
veto power, Brazil reiterated its call for \u201cdeep transformations in the
Security Council\u201d, with the inclusion of \u201cnew permanent members from
Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean\u201d.</p>
<div class="gmail-captioned-image-container">
<div class="gmail-image2-inset"><span><img class="gmail-sizing-normal gmail-lazy gmail-loaded" src="https://i0.wp.com/substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_%21rP4A%21%2Cw_1456%2Cc_limit%2Cf_auto%2Cq_auto%3Agood%2Cfl_progressive%3Asteep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1925a229-f360-4598-afe2-ae5266af70ce_1920x1080.png?resize=880%2C495&ssl=1" alt="" width="467" height="263" style="margin-right: 25px;"></span></div>Malaysia\u2019s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim at the 2025 BRICS summit
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<p><a href="https://www.pmo.gov.my/ms/2025/07/keynote-address-yab-prime-minister-at-brics-business-forum-2025/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Malaysia\u2019s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim</a> also delivered a powerful speech likening BRICS to the Non-Aligned Movement and Bandung Conference.</p>
<p>Anwar stated (emphasis added):</p>
<blockquote><p>It is a historic moment for those of you who have been
following the antecedents of history, who realize the attempt to save
the voice of newly emerging economies and countries <strong>post colonialism</strong> was by <strong>Sukarno of Indonesia, Zhou Enlai of China, Jawaharlal Nehru of India, Kwame Nkrumah of Africa.</strong></p>
<p>It was a bold attempt to ensure that the voice of conscience, those
struggling for freedom and justice is heard. Not much success. It was a
bold attempt.</p>
<p>Then we have a <strong>Non-aligned Movement</strong>, proceeding that. Then we have <strong>G77</strong>, still not achieving the desired results.</p>
<p>Now, I salute you, President Lula, for having the courage to proceed
with a clear vision, a clear commitment to voice the concerns,
aspirations of the people, particularly of the <strong>Global South.</strong></p>
<p>\u2026</p>
<p>We have enormous potential to increase because only with that
strength can we safely, fairly, justly negotiate with all other partners
multilaterally.</p>
<p>We must demand a change. Democratic, just international and
multilateral organization from the United Nations to WTO to IMF in the
World Bank</p>
<p>\u2026</p>
<p>We have attempted in ASEAN other than enhancing international trade
is even using financial settlement systems. We use our local currency.
Of course, we\u2019re not talking about de-dollarization because there\u2019s a
long way to go, but at least we try, Malaysia with Indonesia, Malaysia
with Thailand, and together with China, trying to use our own local
currency, even beginning with 10 or 20%, it makes a difference, because
we cannot continue complaining but not executing our own plan among in
our countries and our friendly neighbors.</p>
<p>\u2026</p>
<p>But I come back to the major and central issue: BRICS today of 2025 is not the first attempt.</p>
<p><strong>The Bandung Conference of 1955</strong> \u2014 at that time we
were struggling, No industry, no new technology, no competence except
for a united nation, the country, and political leadership.</p>
<p>Now we have political leadership with that vision and we have strong business community.</p></blockquote>
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<span class="gmail-zox-post-tags-header">In this article:</span><span><a href="https://geopoliticaleconomy.com/tag/brazil/" rel="tag">Brazil</a>, <a href="https://geopoliticaleconomy.com/tag/brics/" rel="tag">BRICS</a>, <a href="https://geopoliticaleconomy.com/tag/colonialism/" rel="tag">colonialism</a>, <a href="https://geopoliticaleconomy.com/tag/cuba/" rel="tag">Cuba</a>, <a href="https://geopoliticaleconomy.com/tag/de-dollarization/" rel="tag">de-dollarization</a>, <a href="https://geopoliticaleconomy.com/tag/dilma-rousseff/" rel="tag">Dilma Rousseff</a>, <a href="https://geopoliticaleconomy.com/tag/dollar/" rel="tag">dollar</a>, <a href="https://geopoliticaleconomy.com/tag/finance/" rel="tag">finance</a>, <a href="https://geopoliticaleconomy.com/tag/imperialism/" rel="tag">imperialism</a>, <a href="https://geopoliticaleconomy.com/tag/lula-da-silva/" rel="tag">Lula da Silva</a>, <a href="https://geopoliticaleconomy.com/tag/ndb/" rel="tag">NDB</a>, <a href="https://geopoliticaleconomy.com/tag/new-development-bank/" rel="tag">New Development Bank</a>, <a href="https://geopoliticaleconomy.com/tag/vietnam/" rel="tag">Vietnam</a></span>
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