President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) said that democracy is experiencing its most critical moment since World War II at an event on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, this Tuesday (24) in New York, United States.
At the meeting “In defense of democracy: fighting against extremism”, Lula stated that several countries faced challenges in relation to democracy, which transformed it into “just a ritual that we repeat every 4 or 5 years”.
“In Brazil and the United States, totalitarian forces have promoted violent actions to challenge the results of the polls. In Latin America, fake news erodes trust and affects electoral processes,” said Lula.
He continued, adding: “In Europe, an explosive mix of racism, xenophobia and disinformation campaigns is putting diversity and pluralism at risk. In Africa, coups d’état demonstrate that the use of force to overthrow governments still reflects the remnants of colonialism.”
“Our fight is to ensure that democracy is once again seen as the most effective way to achieve and enforce rights,” the Brazilian president said in a speech at the event.
Lula argued that “to restore hope to millions of people disinherited by globalization, we need to put the economy at the service of the people.” He said that “this does not mean ending the free market, but rather recovering the role of the State as a planner of sustainable development and as a guarantor of well-being and equity.”
In addition to President Lula of Brazil and the President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, the event was attended by the Presidents of France, Emmanuel Macron, of Cape Verde, José Maria Neves, of Chile, Gabriel Boric and of the European Council, Charles Michel.
The Prime Ministers of Canada, Justin Trudeau, East Timor, Xanana Gusmão, Barbados, Mia Motley, as well as representatives from Norway, Colombia, Kenya, Mexico, the United States, Senegal and the UN were also present at the meeting to discuss democracy.
Lula defended freedom of expression and regulation of networks
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) defended freedom of expression and the regulation of social networks at the event “In defense of democracy: fighting against extremism” at the UN, this Tuesday.
“Freedom of expression is a fundamental right and one of the central pillars of a healthy democracy, but it is not absolute. It finds its limits in the protection of the rights and freedoms of others, and of the political order itself,” said Lula.
The Brazilian added that “digital technologies help to promote and disseminate knowledge, but they also increase the risks to civilized coexistence between people.”
He explained that “digital networks have become fertile ground for misogynistic, racist, xenophobic hate speech that claims victims every day.”
Lula defended the regulation of social networks in his speech, saying that “our societies will be under constant threat as long as we are not firm in regulating platforms and the use of artificial intelligence.”
“No technology company or individual, no matter how wealthy, can consider themselves above the law. They need to be held accountable for the content they circulate,” he said.
This content was originally published in Democracy is going through its most critical moment since World War II, says Lula at the UN on the CNN Brasil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
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