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BRICS Summit: Underwhelming and Cautious
The American Spectator ^ | July 8, 2025, 10:07 PM | Thomas Kolbe

Posted on 07/09/2025 2:39:39 PM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum

With Putin and Xi absent, Brazil’s president focused on platitudes and deriding the U.S.

At their latest summit in Brazil, the BRICS nations once again portrayed themselves as an emerging geopolitical heavyweight. Yet the internal contradictions within this expanding group remain plain to see. And the lure of American power still proves irresistible.

The numbers are impressive. Beyond its ten full members and thirteen associate states, the BRICS bloc is reportedly fielding membership applications from over 30 other nations. In their current configuration, BRICS full members represent 3.9 billion people — 48 percent of the global population—and nearly half of the global GDP. More than 35 percent of international trade is conducted through BRICS countries. There’s no denying the growing influence of the so-called Global South relative to the transatlantic West.

A Fragmented Alliance

But how substantial are BRICS’s internal decisions and strategic ambitions? So far, external pressure has been the main driver of any semblance of unity. Meaningful output — such as the creation of a joint payment infrastructure — has yet to materialize. “BRICS Pay,” launched in 2018, remains stuck in its pilot phase. The deep entrenchment of global trade within the dollar-based financial system appears to be a hurdle too high for quick solutions.

Yes, geopolitical events like Russia’s removal from SWIFT, the freezing of its central bank assets, and the tariff wars under President Donald Trump have all accelerated the BRICS dynamic. But a functioning bloc with a codified rulebook — reminiscent of the post-WWII Bretton Woods system — remains a distant dream.

No Putin, No Xi

On July 6, Brazil’s President Lula da Silva, as this year’s host, opened the summit in Rio de Janeiro. Much discussion preceded the event — not about substance, but about the absence of China’s Xi Jinping and Russia’s Vladimir Putin. The latter...

(Excerpt) Read more at spectator.org ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs
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1 posted on 07/09/2025 2:39:39 PM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Sink like a Brick


2 posted on 07/09/2025 2:41:45 PM PDT by butlerweave
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Put a 50% duty on Brazilian coffee and watch BRICS disappear.


3 posted on 07/09/2025 2:46:48 PM PDT by Bookshelf
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

The new Axis countries... How many times are we going to need to kick their pathetic *sses before they figure it out.

The west will always rule the world. Period!


4 posted on 07/09/2025 2:47:03 PM PDT by jerod (Nazis were essentially Socialist in Hugo Boss uniforms... Get over it!)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Buy gold! Buy gold now!! /s


5 posted on 07/09/2025 4:17:08 PM PDT by JesusIsLord
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

There was some passionate pro Brics support on FR from the pro-Putin/Brics countries people but they are all silent this week.


6 posted on 07/09/2025 4:28:11 PM PDT by ansel12 ((NATO warrior under Reagan, and RA under Nixon, bemoaning the pro-Russians from Vietnam to Ukraine.))
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To: E. Pluribus Unum
And the lure of American power still proves irresistible.

Where is that happening at? Try not to think the world is not watching our accelerating failures for the last 30 years.

Operation Prosperity Guardian

Full 2 minute video.

7 posted on 07/09/2025 9:54:51 PM PDT by Karl Spooner
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