BRICS leaders condemn 'tariff blackmail,' sanctions

BOGOTA, Colombia

Brazil’s president said Monday that BRICS nations are victims of "unjustified and illegal tariff blackmail.”

Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva made the comments during a virtual meeting with the bloc's heads of state, without referring to the United States.

"Our countries have become victims of unjustified and illegal trade practices. Tariff blackmail is being normalized as a tool to conquer markets and interfere in domestic affairs," he said.

The 1.5-hour virtual summit, initiated by Lula, included leaders from China, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Russia and South Africa.

Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed, Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and Ethiopian Deputy Foreign Minister Hadera Abera also attended, according to a statement from the Brazilian presidency.

Lula also warned that "the imposition of extraterritorial measures threatens our institutions.”

“Secondary sanctions restrict our freedom to strengthen trade with friendly countries," he said.

He added that "trade and financial integration between our countries offer a safe option to mitigate the effects of protectionism."

The BRICS group, he noted, represents 40% of global GDP, 26% of international trade, and almost 50% of the world's population.

Lula also said the "Global South is capable of proposing a different development paradigm and refuting a new Cold War."

Chinese President Xi Jinping said that "hegemonism, unilateralism and protectionism are becoming increasingly rampant.”

"Trade wars and tariff wars waged by some countries severely disrupt the world economy and undermine international trade rules," he said, without directly naming the US or President Donald Trump, whose tariffs against India, Brazil and China caused turmoil in the emerging economies.

Russian President Vladimir Putin also participated in the meeting, but the Kremlin press service only stated that "issues of cooperation between BRICS member countries in the trade, economic, financial, investment and other spheres were discussed, taking into account the current situation of the global economy."

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian proposed a "BRICS common front against Western sanctions."

He added that these policies "not only threaten the national interests of independent countries but also disrupt global cooperation and make sustainable development impossible."