Opinion | Brazilian President Lula: How can the world avoid a repeat of January 6th?

They showed the same disregard for democracy as the infiltrators at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.

Fortunately, this coup attempt failed. Brazilian society rejects the invasion, and last year the National Assembly, the Federal Supreme Court, and the executive branch committed themselves to clarifying the facts and holding the invaders accountable.

The coup attempt was the culmination of a long process in which extremist political leaders sought to discredit democracy for their own benefit. Brazil’s electoral system is internationally recognized for its integrity, but those elected using the same system have raised questions. Just as election deniers in the United States complained about mail-in voting, they complained about electronic ballot boxes in Brazil without evidence. The purpose of these false accusations was to disenfranchise democracy and perpetuate power in an autocratic manner.

But Brazil’s democracy spread and became even stronger.

Since I returned to office after a 12-year hiatus, unifying the country and rebuilding successful public policy have been the goals of my administration. A government that improves lives is our best answer to extremists attacking our democracy.

Deforestation in the Amazon, which had increased under the previous government, was reduced by 50% by 2023. We reinstated anti-poverty policies such as Bolsa Familia, which guarantees mothers an income to keep their children vaccinated and in school. According to data from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, our economy will grow three times as much as the International Monetary Fund’s forecast in 2023, making our country the second largest destination for foreign direct investment in the world.

Brazil has returned to the international stage with a democratic commitment and without the climate change denial and science disregard of the previous government, which claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands of Brazilians during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Today, the world is experiencing a paradoxical moment. Global challenges require engagement and cooperation between nations. We have never been more connected. At the same time, we are finding it increasingly difficult to dialogue, respect differences and carry out collective action.

Societies are dominated by individualism, and nations are increasingly distanced from each other, making it difficult to promote peace and confront complex problems such as the climate crisis. food and energy insecurity; Geopolitical tensions and war. The rise of hate speech and xenophobia.

These are problems caused by widespread global inequalities between and within countries.

In recent decades, an exclusive economic development model has concentrated income, fostered discontent, suppressed workers’ rights, and fueled distrust of public institutions.

Inequality is a breeding ground for extremism and political polarization. When democracy fails to provide for people’s well-being, extremists seek to undermine trust in the political process and foster distrust in institutions.

The erosion of democracy is further exacerbated by the fact that people’s news sources and social interactions are mediated by digital applications designed for profit rather than democratic coexistence. Big Tech’s business model, which prioritizes engagement and attention-seeking, promotes incendiary content, strengthens extremist discourse, and favors anti-democratic forces operating in internationally linked networks.

Even more worrying is that artificial intelligence has the potential not only to exacerbate misinformation, but also to foster discrimination, cause unemployment, and violate rights.

These technical, social and political issues are integrated. Strengthening democracy depends on the ability of states to not only confront structural inequalities and promote the well-being of their citizens, but also to confront the factors that fuel violent extremism.

Another January 6th or January 8th can only be avoided by changing the realities of inequality and precarious work. This concern motivated the Decent Work Partnership that I launched with President Biden in September, with support from the International Labor Organization.

We also need global action to promote information integrity and the inclusive and humane development and use of artificial intelligence. The United Nations and other international organizations, including UNESCO, are working to address these issues.

Brazil took over the G20 Presidency last month, putting the fight against inequality in all its dimensions at the center of its agenda, with the motto “building a just world and a sustainable planet”. I hope that political leaders can meet in Brazil throughout this year to seek collective solutions to these challenges that affect all of humanity.