Russian President Vladimir Putin could not have been clearer in his rebuttal against Brazilian President Lula de Silva over his in absentia veto against Venezuela's entry into the BRICS alliance.
Thanks to both of you as ever for this more objective view - a refreshing change from the hype about BRICS being promoted by many.
Obviously, the growth of BRICS is astounding and gives many people hope for the future, but the numbers being reported with regard to combined GDPs etc. should be seen in their proper light: they represent the potential of BRICS and not our present economic reality. Also, as you point out, the format or paradigm itself is weak and all too vulnerable to interference; as we've seen with the Venezuela-Brazil spat and MBS' absence from Kazan...because he was meeting Blinken!
Another point to note - and perhaps the most important - is that the main drivers of BRICS' success are the patently suicidal economic policies of the 'rules-based order'; Putin has made this point more than once: BRICS are not challenging the West - the West is undermining itself and exacerbating movement away from the dollar. This could change. However, there are no signs as yet of any significant outbreaks of sanity in Washington, Brussels or London.
The US is building a new 9 stories below soil embassyin Brasília. Brasil has already ceded use of one of the most important satellite lauch sites, in its territory, to the US, and there were reports of at least one US military base built near the amazonian region.
That was a nice discussion - thanks to the two of you - and it probably is a reflection of my lack of knowledge about the subject, but I think I have more questions now than I had before watching.
Regarding Lula, is he recognized as a Washington lackey or is he trying to walk a tightrope between the neighbor that can erase him and the ideological brother who can help his country in the long run? I sense a bit of arm-twisting at play with Lula’s objections to both Venezuela and Nicaragua joining BRICS, but I think in the long run, American diplomacy, I.e., extortion, will be less formidable as BRICS impacts the reach of the dollar.
I’m curious about how global diplomacy can be enhanced by the big umbrella that is BRICS. India is talking with China, and Iran is talking with Saudi, and someone said that Putin has met with Pakistan, which would be big if India was part of the discussion. I think Alex’s point about keeping discussions about BRICS real is a good one, but I think it’s a positive turn to have utility in nations talking.
Thanks to both of you as ever for this more objective view - a refreshing change from the hype about BRICS being promoted by many.
Obviously, the growth of BRICS is astounding and gives many people hope for the future, but the numbers being reported with regard to combined GDPs etc. should be seen in their proper light: they represent the potential of BRICS and not our present economic reality. Also, as you point out, the format or paradigm itself is weak and all too vulnerable to interference; as we've seen with the Venezuela-Brazil spat and MBS' absence from Kazan...because he was meeting Blinken!
Another point to note - and perhaps the most important - is that the main drivers of BRICS' success are the patently suicidal economic policies of the 'rules-based order'; Putin has made this point more than once: BRICS are not challenging the West - the West is undermining itself and exacerbating movement away from the dollar. This could change. However, there are no signs as yet of any significant outbreaks of sanity in Washington, Brussels or London.
Lula beat Bolsenaro with a CIA led election steal. He is paying back his new boss.
The US is building a new 9 stories below soil embassyin Brasília. Brasil has already ceded use of one of the most important satellite lauch sites, in its territory, to the US, and there were reports of at least one US military base built near the amazonian region.
Perhaps BRICS should approve new members by majority vote.
That was a nice discussion - thanks to the two of you - and it probably is a reflection of my lack of knowledge about the subject, but I think I have more questions now than I had before watching.
Regarding Lula, is he recognized as a Washington lackey or is he trying to walk a tightrope between the neighbor that can erase him and the ideological brother who can help his country in the long run? I sense a bit of arm-twisting at play with Lula’s objections to both Venezuela and Nicaragua joining BRICS, but I think in the long run, American diplomacy, I.e., extortion, will be less formidable as BRICS impacts the reach of the dollar.
I’m curious about how global diplomacy can be enhanced by the big umbrella that is BRICS. India is talking with China, and Iran is talking with Saudi, and someone said that Putin has met with Pakistan, which would be big if India was part of the discussion. I think Alex’s point about keeping discussions about BRICS real is a good one, but I think it’s a positive turn to have utility in nations talking.