In virtual summit, Biden defends minority participation in politics and freedom of the press | Globalism

“All voices must be heard,” Biden said at the opening of the Summit for Democracy. “[o governo americano] He wants to improve the presence of women and girls in politics, as well as empower the LGBTQIA+ community.”

Over the next two days, the virtual meeting will bring together leaders and representatives of more than 100 governments – including the Brazilian government.

In his speech, Biden defended press freedom and warned that a free press was “under attack” around the world. See the video above.

• At least 24 journalists worldwide have been killed in the exercise of their profession this year, the commission estimates

He referred to the harassment of journalists and the suppression of the media by authoritarian governments and said that there is no democracy without a free press.

“The free press all over the world is under attack, so we need to invest to ensure that the public interest is revitalized in the media,” the Democrat said. “We will create a new fund to fund anti-defamation work against journalists and fight laws that prevent journalists from working.”

The US president also said that autocrats are trying to expand their influence in the world and emphasized that democracy can be fragile, but also resilient.

“Renewing democracy is something that requires a continuous effort,” the president said.

In his field of work, he acknowledged that his government needed to make it easier for Americans to vote, amid controversial changes to state laws that impose obstacles on voters.

Watch the full speech in the video below:

The US government is holding until Friday (10) a virtual democracy summit, invited by representatives from more than 100 governments, as well as activists, journalists, leaders from the private sector and other prominent members of civil society.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the meetings will be held remotely.

The idea is for the summit to serve as a platform for leaders to “announce new commitments, reforms and initiatives” based on three pillars: defending democracy against tyranny, fighting corruption and respecting human rights, he said on Tuesday (7). ) a US government official who requested anonymity.

Before the event even began, he sparked controversy due to his criteria for invitations. Some important countries, such as China, Russia and Saudi Arabia, have been excluded, which may lead to the belief that countries that do not respect human rights will be avoided.

• Biden reveals the contradiction in the list of invitees to the democracy summit

Although the, As columnist Sandra Cohen points out,Pakistan and the Philippines, which do not have an exemplary record on this issue, were invited to participate. The difference will be some of the partnerships these countries maintain with United States of America.

TV Globo reporter in New York, Goga Chakra, analyzes that Biden is trying to present himself as a liberal Democrat leader, but there is hypocrisy. See the video below.

Eight Latin American countries also left the list: Venezuela, Nicaragua, Cuba, Bolivia, El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala and Haiti.

Regarding Venezuela, however, opposition leader Juan Guaido was invited. The latter, in turn, included opponents from other countries in its official delegation, such as the Nicaraguan Berta Valley and the Cuban Rosa Maria Paya, which drew intense criticism from Cuba.

“It is very likely that these absences from the summit will be counterproductive to both US interests and democracy in the region,” Michael Shifter, president of the American NGO Dialogue, told AFP.

The excluded could explain that the US implements a policy of “if it’s not with me, it’s against me” and ends up in two groups, “democracies and others,” says Christopher Sabatini, a researcher at Chatham House.

“If you don’t act with caution,[Biden]can create two blocs” without necessarily having an ideological affinity, so that “the good guys club gets diplomatic advantages and recognition in the White House, and the others are left behind,” he explains.

Another issue discussed by the American press on the eve of the event is the state of democracy within the United States itself and whether the country is, at the moment, the best example of a full and effective democracy.

Local elected officials are resigning at an alarming rate amid clashes with angry voices at school board meetings, polling offices and city halls, according to the Associated Press.

In addition, states pass laws to limit access to ballot papers, making it difficult for Americans to vote. The January 6 attack on Capitol Hill also left many Republicans clinging to Donald Trump’s false allegations of election theft.