Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva denounced what he described as a renewed colonial approach toward developing nations during a summit in Colombia, criticizing foreign interference in Latin America and beyond. He pointed to actions against Venezuela and Cuba, as well as military operations against Iran, arguing that powerful countries are treating others as if they can control their sovereignty and resources.

Lula accused unnamed nations of seeking to dominate critical minerals and rare earth deposits in developing countries after historically exploiting their gold, silver and other natural resources. He warned that such actions amount to an attempt to 'colonize us again' and said no country should violate the territorial integrity of another.

The Brazilian leader also condemned the inability of the United Nations to prevent ongoing conflicts in places such as Gaza, Ukraine and Iran, calling the situation a total failure and urging reform of the Security Council. Colombian President Gustavo Petro echoed the criticism, saying the global body has been ineffective in stopping wars even as the world faces mounting crises.

Attendance at the summit of Latin American, Caribbean and African representatives was limited, reflecting divisions within the region. Lula, who plans to run for another term in October, used the platform to reinforce his call for greater independence and cooperation among developing nations.