Spain hosts Lula and Sánchez as they headline two major gatherings in Barcelona: the IV Meeting for the Defense of Democracy and the Global Progressive Mobilization, uniting left- and center-left leaders from about 20 countries.

Lula begins a two-day visit to Spain, meeting with Prime Minister Sánchez to discuss democracy and progressive policies amid rising far-right movements.

The Global Progressive Mobilization at the same venue aims to bolster the center-left, drawing roughly 3,000 attendees including prominent politicians and activists.

Around ten ministers from each country are expected, with more than a dozen bilateral agreements to be signed covering commerce, economy, innovation, science, culture, and gender and racial equality, including a critical minerals pact.

The Barcelona gatherings precede the Iberian-American summit in Madrid this November and come as the EU-Mercosur trade deal nears entry into force.

The meetings unfold amid a rightward shift in Latin America and heightened scrutiny of U.S. policy, with Spain restricting certain U.S. military activities related to Iran and closing airspace to some operations.

A joint declaration will address regional and global issues, underscoring Spain and Latin America as key partners with concrete cooperation plans in economics, science, culture, and social policy.

The summit seeks a declaration of common actions on democracy and the green transition, reflecting responses to far-right gains in Europe and shifts in U.S. policy.

The Global Progressive Mobilization is designed as a platform for democracy, equality, environmental policies, feminism, and peace, drawing participants from over 100 parties.

Speakers include Lula and Sánchez, with panels on wage inequality and progressive election improvements, and notable attendees such as U.S. Senator Chris Murphy.

Ongoing domestic legal investigations in Spain add complexity to leadership dynamics as Sánchez hosts these events.

The gatherings follow a wake-up call among European socialists to counter far-right movements, with Sánchez praising recent electoral results as a sign the wave can be halted.