Brasilia, February 27 (RHC)-- During the meeting of the chief negotiators of the BRICS countries, held in Brasilia, the president of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, criticized the policies applied by the American president, Donald Trump, without mentioning him directly.

Lula lashed out at those who sabotage the World Health Organization (WHO), promote protectionism and ignore the climate crisis.  His words seemed directed at the decisions of the U.S. administration, such as abandoning the WHO and the Paris Agreement, imposing trade tariffs and promoting large technology companies.

The Brazilian president stressed the importance of strengthening the global health architecture with the WHO in a central role and advocated for payment in local currencies in commercial operations between the BRICS.   Lula da Silva also underlined the threat facing the Paris Agreement and the climate regime, and encouraged the development of artificial intelligence to help overcome ethical, social and economic challenges.

The BRICS group, founded by Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, accepted another group of nations in August 2023: Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Ethiopia, Iran, Indonesia and Saudi Arabia.  These nations formally joined - except for Saudi Arabia - in January 2024.

The meeting in Brasilia marks the start of preparations for the forum's leaders' summit, scheduled for July in Rio de Janeiro.

[ SOURCE:  teleSUR ]