On July 16, nine days after the conclusion of the BRICS summit of July 6-7, Xinhua News Agency, in collaboration with prominent BRICS-supporting news agencies in Brazil, hosted the 7th BRICS Media and Think Tank Forum in Rio de Janeiro. Over 250 participants from 36 countries—members of government, press agencies, think tanks, and private enterprises—gathered for an intense day of presentations on the theme, “BRICS United: Forging a New Chapter for Global South.” The vast preponderance of participants came from BRICS nations and other nations of the Global South. The sole U.S. organization represented was Executive Intelligence Review.
The conference invitation described the objective of the gathering: “At a time when the world is undergoing transformative changes unseen in a century, the Global South is rising as a vital for safeguarding international peace, driving global development ,and improving global governance.”
A notable presentation came from the leading Mexican representative, Yeidekol Polevnsky Gurwitz, chair of the Asia-Pacific Foreign Relations Committee of the Mexican Senate. She reviewed the huge dimensions and implications for Mexico and Mexicans living in the U.S., of Trump Administration immigration dragnets, in contrast to China’s BRI. “China builds bridges, while others build walls.” She warned of the danger of a Third World War, decried the calls for re-armament in Europe, and praised China’s contributions to negotiating an end to the Ukraine war.” Her conclusion, that it was time to “close ranks” around the BRICS and China, was echoed in numerous other presentations during the day.
