Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva began a two-day visit to Spain on Friday, joining his Spanish counterpart Pedro Sánchez to host a series of meetings with global leaders focused on safeguarding democracy and countering the rise of far-right populism.

The two leaders, both vocal critics of Donald Trump and his tariff threats, are seen as leading figures of progressive politics in their regions, where right-wing movements have gained momentum.

Lula and Sánchez are scheduled to meet at a former royal palace in Barcelona along with senior ministers, where they are expected to sign agreements on economic cooperation, technology and social policy.

Their bilateral talks will be followed on Saturday by two major gatherings bringing together leaders from mid- and smaller-sized countries.

The first, the fourth “Meeting in Defense of Democracy,” was launched by Brazil and Spain in 2024 to address challenges such as extremism, political polarization and misinformation. Previous editions were held at the United Nations and in Santiago, Chile.

Lula said the forum should not be viewed as targeting Trump, stressing that it will instead focus on assessing the state of democracy and identifying ways to strengthen it.

Leaders expected to attend include Claudia Sheinbaum, Cyril Ramaphosa, Gustavo Petro and António Costa, along with representatives from countries across Europe, Latin America and Africa.

The same venue will later host the inaugural “Global Progressive Mobilization,” a gathering of left-leaning leaders and policymakers expected to draw around 3,000 participants. The event will feature speeches by Lula and Sánchez and discussions on issues such as inequality and electoral strategies.

The initiative was conceived after Sánchez and former Swedish prime minister Stefan Löfven discussed creating a global platform for progressive coordination.

The meetings come during a busy diplomatic period for Sánchez, who recently returned from China after meeting Xi Jinping, while his government has taken positions related to the Iran conflict, including restricting the use of Spanish airspace and bases by US forces.

Earlier this week, Lula also expressed solidarity with Pope Leo XIV following criticism from Trump over the pontiff’s stance on the Iran war.

Analysts say the gatherings reflect efforts by democratic leaders to counter the growing influence of far-right movements and to strengthen cooperation among what some describe as “middle powers” in an increasingly polarized global landscape.