Progressive leaders from multiple continents gathered in Barcelona on Saturday to mount a coordinated defense of multilateral governance and democracy against what they characterized as an assault on international institutions. The summit brought together Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Colombian President Gustavo Petro, and U.S. Democrats Chris Murphy and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz to the dual-event IV Meeting in Defense of Democracy and an inaugural Global Progressive Mobilization.
The gathering drew approximately 6,000 elected officials, policy analysts, and activists—underscoring an ideological schism widening at the global level. The events occurred as President Trump, through explicit rejection of NATO and United Nations authority and through social media attacks on Sánchez, continues to signal a departure from decades of U.S. multilateral commitments.
The assembly marked the most visible coordinated international response yet from left-leaning governments to Trump’s unilateralism and what participants framed as threats to democracy itself. Attendees moved beyond rhetoric to announce concrete proposals on inequality, climate, and wealth distribution—signaling an alternative governance framework to Trump’s nationalist approach.
Trump’s Attack and Context
Trump attacked Sánchez on social media Saturday as the gathering convened. “Has anybody looked at how badly the country of Spain is doing. Their financial numbers, despite contributing almost nothing to NATO and their military defense, are absolutely horrendous. Sad to watch!!!” Trump posted on Truth Social.
The president’s criticism reflected an ongoing pressure campaign against Sánchez, who has refused to allow the U.S. to use jointly operated military bases in Spain for Iran-war operations and has declined Trump’s demand that Spain increase military spending from 2% to 5% of gross domestic product.
The Progressive Response
Sánchez responded to the attacks indirectly, telling the progressive rally: “The populist right screams and shouts not because they are winning but because they know their time is running out. They know their vision of how the world should be ordered is falling apart due to the tariffs and wars. Their embrace of climate change denial, of xenophobia, or sexism is their greatest error.”
Senator Murphy of Connecticut followed with direct criticism of Trump, saying: “Donald Trump is out to end our democracy. We are not on the verge of a totalitarian takeover, we are in the middle of it.” He pointed to Hungary’s recent elections, where Trump ally Viktor Orbán lost power. “Americans are watching what is happening across the world, and the victory in Hungary just one week ago lifted our sails,” Murphy said.
Governor Walz then turned his criticism toward Vice President JD Vance, who campaigned for Orbán and has backed far-right parties in Europe. “Unlike our current vice president, I’m not here to arrogantly lecture or scold you, I am not here to pick a fight with the Pope or host a rally for any local wannabe authoritarians,” Walz said.
Policy Proposals for Change
The summit yielded several concrete policy proposals. Ramaphosa announced that South Africa will present a draft resolution to the U.N. General Assembly in September establishing an International Panel on Inequality, aimed at addressing growing wealth gaps within and between nations. “We will be presenting a resolution to the General Assembly in September on establishing an International Panel on Inequality,” he said.
Sheinbaum proposed that governments commit to spending 10% of their military budgets on reforestation projects. “Each year, instead of planting the seeds of war, we will plant the seeds of life,” she said.
Sánchez made the case for regulating social media platforms to combat hate speech and disinformation. His government is also coordinating with Brazil on a proposed tax targeting the ultrarich, an initiative announced after Lula and Sánchez held bilateral talks in Barcelona on Friday.
Lula, addressing the rally, framed the gathering’s work in existential terms. “Stop this madness of war because the world cannot bear any more wars,” he said, calling on U.N. Security Council members to “fulfill their obligation and guarantee peace.”