United States President Donald Trump has verbally attacked the Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa (BRICS) plus 17th Summit held in the city of Rio de Janeiro.

Held under the theme of “Strengthening Global South Cooperation for a More Inclusive and Sustainable Governance,” on July 6-7, this grouping has generated tremendous enthusiasm for peoples throughout Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Russian Federation.

Republic of Brazil President Luiz Ignacio Lula da Silva hosted the event which represents the largest growing bloc of states committed to carving out an alternative world economic system which rejects the punitive policies enacted against the majority of countries around the globe. The alliance was created in 2006, nearly two decades ago, by Brazil, Russia, India and China. By 2010, the Republic of South Africa had joined the grouping making it BRICS.

After the 2023 BRICS Summit in the Republic of South Africa, the alliance expanded to include several other states. These developments are occurring amid the intensifying struggle for the maintenance of world hegemony on the part of the imperialist governments led by the U.S.

At the BRICS 16th Summit in Kazakhstan, the category of partner countries was enacted bringing about the involvement of even more states in the process. This measure adopted as a result of the Johannesburg Declaration, the partner countries are Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, and Uzbekistan.

In its role as BRICS Chair, the Government of Brazil announced the approval of Vietnam as a partner country of the alliance. Vietnam became the tenth BRICS partner country.

The next gathering will take place in India during 2026. India is the most populous country in the world.

Vietnam, having a population of almost 100 million people and a rapidly growing economy, is an important state in Asia. The country has stated its commitment to multilateralism along with all other BRICS plus members and partners.

U.S. Administration Threatened by BRICS

Trump threatened even more tariffs against any state which is aligned with BRICS saying that the alliance is “anti-American.” Yet, today and historically, the U.S. government has been the most hostile imperialist state towards the oppressed and working-class people internationally.

Image: Brazil former President Rousseff as head of NDB (Source: Abayomi Azikiwe)

Interest in BRICS has accelerated over the last several years, attracting the membership of additional states such as Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Indonesia. The formation of the New Development Bank (NDB) headed by former Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, represents a challenge to the U.S.-controlled International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank.

In contrast to the approach of BRICS, the current administration of Trump began its second non-consecutive term of office with the unilateral and arbitrary announcement of the imposition of tariffs on most states throughout the globe. Threatening the People’s Republic of China with tariffs which exceeded more than 140%, a looming trade war has resulted in much uncertainty around the world.

The Trump White House is forcing states to hold “trade talks” with the U.S. administration which has no clear foreign policy other than the repeated mantra of “making America great again.” This type of sloganeering has not enhanced the sense of purpose and security among the workers and oppressed peoples living in the U.S.

Mass demonstrations between April and June have attracted the participation of millions across the country. Many of those which have rallied and marched are engaging in such oppositional activity for the first time in their lives. The attacks carried out by the administration have impacted many sectors of the working class and people of color communities.

An assessment of the BRICS plus 17th Summit by the Associated Press noted:

“While Lula advocated on Sunday for the reform of Western-led global institutions, Brazil aimed to avoid becoming the target of higher tariffs. Trump has threatened to impose 100% tariffs against the bloc if they take any moves to undermine the dollar. Last year, at the summit hosted by Russia in Kazan, the Kremlin sought to develop alternatives to U.S.-dominated payment systems which would allow it to dodge Western sanctions imposed after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Brazil decided to focus on less controversial issues in the summit, such as promoting trade relations between members and global health, after Trump returned to the White House, said Ana Garcia, a professor at the Rio de Janeiro Federal Rural University. ‘Brazil wants the least amount of damage possible and to avoid drawing the attention of the Trump administration to prevent any type of risk to the Brazilian economy,” Garcia said.” 

Nonetheless, even other imperialist states have been threatened by the Trump White House such as Canada and the Kingdom of Denmark. Canada cannot be viewed as taking a hostile position towards Washington and Wall Street yet the country just to the north of the U.S. and its largest trading partner, has been menaced by the suggestion that it become the 51st state of the U.S.

In Western Europe, the NATO states such as Britain, have agreed to raise their level of defense spending to 5% of the national budget. These domestic policies, which have international implications, will only result in the further impoverishment of the workers, people living with disabilities and the nationally oppressed.

The Russian Special Military Operation in Ukraine was prompted by the attempts of the imperialist states to fully encircle the Russian Federation. Although Trump claimed that he would end the war within 24 hours, the fighting has intensified.

Moreover, the corporate media and elements within the Democratic Party attempted to make it appear as if Trump favored the Russian side in the war with Ukraine, while the weapons and intelligence sharing continued between Washington and Kyiv. Trump recently announced on July 8 that he would send more weapons to the right-wing, neo-fascist regime in Ukraine.

The reality is that the U.S. under former President Barack Obama initiated the instability in Ukraine by engineering a “color revolution” in February 2014. The neo-fascist militias which have their origins in the German Third Reich, were heavily armed and placed into the political and military apparatus of Ukraine.

Clashes have been ongoing in the eastern regions of Ukraine for 11 years. The direct intervention militarily by the Russian Federation in February 2022 was in response to the supply of arms to Kyiv by Washington and other NATO allies.

Resolving the war in Eastern Europe will not be brought about through the personality of Trump or his emissaries. There are important strategic interests which divide Moscow from Washington and its NATO counterparts.

Similar differences over strategic interests also impact relations between the imperialist states of Western Europe and North America in contravention to the countries in the Global South and their governments. Travel bans enacted by the White House are largely centered on the emerging economies and the developing nations therefore further exposing the racist nature of the current administration in Washington.

BRICS 17th Summit Declaration Requires a Confrontation with Imperialism

The concluding declaration of the BRICS Summit in Brazil, for it to be fully implemented, will necessitate a protracted struggle against the western capitalist states. Even though there is a lack of political uniformity within the alliance, the objective conditions in the Global South will inevitably result in an escalation of hostilities between the peoples of this region and the highly industrialized states.

In its final declaration, the BRICS Summit and partner nations addressed the need for curtailing climate change, ending the genocide in Palestine and the democratic and ethical use of Artificial Intelligence (AI). There was a strong emphasis on multilateralism and a repudiation of unilateralism which is the hallmark of U.S. imperialism.

In the eighth point of the 31-page concluding declaration it says:

“We agree that, in the context of the contemporary realities of the multipolar world, it is crucial that developing countries strengthen their efforts to promote dialogue and consultations for more just and equitable global governance and mutually beneficial relations among nations. We acknowledge that multipolarity can expand opportunities for EMDCs (emerging markets and developing countries) to develop their constructive potential and enjoy universally beneficial, inclusive and equitable economic globalization and cooperation. We highlight the importance of the Global South as a driver for positive change, especially in the face of significant international challenges, including deepening geopolitical tensions, rapid economic downturns and technological changes, protectionist measures and migratory challenges. We believe BRICS countries continue to play a pivotal role in voicing the concerns and priorities of the Global South, as well as in promoting a more just, sustainable, inclusive, representative and stable international order based on international law.” 

Such an approach, no matter how diplomatically worded, contradicts the overall thrust of U.S. foreign and domestic policies. The masses of people living in the Global South will have to rise up and put an end to the hegemony inflicted upon them by the imperialist states.

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Abayomi Azikiwe is the editor of the Pan-African News Wire. He is a regular contributor to Global Research.  

All images in this article are from the author

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