Sánchez gathers progressive world leaders in Barcelona for alternative front to Trump and far right

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is gathering 15 world leaders on Friday and Saturday in Barcelona in a progressive summit, as an alternative front to Donald Trump and the global far-right.

The initiative, driven by Sánchez and Brazilian President Lula da Silva, is titled “In Defense of Democracy,” and will hold its fourth meeting in the Catalan capital.

The presidents of Colombia, Mexico, and South Africa, and other center-left leaders, will be present at the summit to demand “respect for the rules-based international order.”

However, the event will be missing prominent progressive leaders from Europe, such as Britain's Keir Starmer and Denmark's Mette Frederiksen.

As a prelude to this summit, the Global Progressive Mobilization will be officially presented at the Fira Barcelona to present a "necessary alternative" to the far-right.

More than 60 speakers from 40 countries, including politicians, trade union leaders, academics, and activists, will speak in various sessions on Friday and Saturday. Up to 400 mayors from Spain and around the world are also expected.

In parallel, Spain and Brazil will hold their first bilateral summit on Friday morning at the Palau de Pedralbes.

Organizers do not rule out that the international far-right will try to “counter-program” the conferences in some way, warning they generate “a lot of attention” in certain spheres.

The Spanish PM has emerged as the most prominent European voice against Trump’s policies in recent weeks. Most of the European NATO allies have distanced themselves from the US and Israel’s war against Iran and some leaders, such as Giorgia Meloni in Italy, have begun to respond to the Republican president.

Spain–Brazil Summit

Sánchez and Lula will kick off the international progressive front’s events with the Spain–Brazil summit on Friday morning at the Palau de Pedralbes in Barcelona.

This is the first meeting of its kind between Spain and a Latin American country, with the aim of highlighting the importance of Brazil for Spain in the region, as well as the close relationship between the two presidents, who share demands such as a tax on the super-rich and reform of the multilateral system.

The Spanish PM will welcome the Brazilian president with military honours in the morning. This will be followed by a bilateral meeting between the leaders, and a series of bilateral sectoral meetings between respective ministers.

The summit will end with the signing of several agreements related to the fields of economy, technology, innovation, and social agenda, followed by a joint press conference among Sánchez and Lula.