Brazilian President Lula Criticizes UN Inaction Over Gaza War Victims

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva criticized the United Nations and other multilateral institutions for failing to protect victims of the Gaza conflict, stating that these bodies have "stopped working" and no longer function effectively, including the UN Security Council. Lula made these remarks following a meeting with Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, ahead of a regional summit where he is expected to meet US President Donald Trump. He condemned the ongoing violence in Gaza as a genocide and questioned how such atrocities could be accepted. Lula also took a subtle jab at President Trump, emphasizing that "walking with their head held high is more important than a Nobel Prize," referencing Trump's claims of deserving the Nobel Peace Prize. Trump, meanwhile, was on an Asian diplomatic tour focused on high-stakes talks with China and witnessing a peace deal between Thailand and Cambodia, which he helped broker. Despite previous tensions, Lula and Trump have recently started to improve relations following disputes linked to the conviction of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and trade sanctions imposed by Trump on Brazil.