Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has accused his American counterpart, Donald Trump, of attempting to become the de facto leader of a ‘new United Nations’ through the creation of a ‘Peace Council.’ Lula stated he has contacted numerous world leaders to defend the existing UN.
In a speech, Lula da Silva criticized the initiative, stating, ‘Instead of reforming the United Nations, what is happening? President Trump proposes creating a new United Nations where he is the sole master.’
He defended multilateralism against what he described as the rise of ‘unilateralism’ and the ‘law of the strongest.’ Prior to his public comments, the Brazilian President held a phone conversation with Chinese President Xi Jinping, who affirmed his commitment to defending the ‘central role’ of the United Nations, without directly mentioning Trump’s new council.
Lula expressed regret that ‘the UN Charter is being torn apart,’ and revealed that he had spent ‘a week contacting every country in the world’ in an attempt ‘to find a way to come together’ and defend the multilateral system. He specified that he had spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum.
Lula da Silva also criticized the Trump administration’s plan to rebuild Gaza, stating, ‘They destroyed, they killed more than 70,000 people, to say that we are now going to rebuild Gaza and build luxury hotels there.’
Trump launched the ‘Peace Council’ on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. The council’s stated purpose is to resolve global conflicts, potentially leading to the formation of a body that rivals the United Nations. Trump has extended invitations to various world leaders to join his new organization, including the Brazilian President, who has not yet responded.
The White House announced the ‘Peace Council,’ headed by Trump, as part of a plan to end the conflict in Gaza. However, the draft ‘Charter’ presented by Trump grants him broad powers aimed at contributing to the resolution of conflicts worldwide.
