The BRICS group has long sought to challenge Western domination of technologies and infrastructures. Now, cooperation on artificial intelligence is increasingly on its radar. Provided the group aligns its members’ approaches to AI through its new initiatives, its role in international AI governance is poised to expand.
The suspension of a Brazilian judge last month as part of an investigation into his links with an organized crime group did not make headlines. But it is a worrying sign of the ever-growing influence of the country’s main drug-trafficking organizations, which have steadily accumulated wealth and power in recent years.
Last week, Brazil’s Supreme Court published documents showing that the country came close to a coup in late 2022. Transfers of power are supposed to be routine formalities in democracies. Yet, from Brazil to Guatemala to the U.S., the hemisphere has seen incumbent presidents attempt to undermine democracy after losing elections.
Though often seen as a region with marginal geopolitical leverage, Latin America is increasingly being targeted by Moscow’s influence campaigns. Those efforts are finding receptive audiences, due to a variety of factors. And countering Russian propaganda will not be easy, as doing so effectively requires a nuanced approach.