On Friday, July 25, CEBRI hosted GloboNews journalists Guga Chacra and Marcelo Lins for a masterclass addressing the main challenges of contemporary geopolitics, with a particular focus on developments in the Middle East and Brazil’s positioning amid a rapidly changing global landscape.

International affairs commentator for GloboNews and columnist for O Globo, Guga Chacra provided a historical overview of tensions in the Middle East, emphasizing that current conflicts are not isolated events but the result of a long-standing historical process shaped by geopolitical disputes and successive power realignments.

In his analysis of the impact of current U.S. foreign policy, Chacra pointed out that “the primary beneficiaries of Trump’s geopolitical context were Gulf countries such as Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, while Arab populations in the Levant—Palestinians and Syrians—have borne the brunt of the consequences.”

Expanding the perspective from regional dynamics to global geopolitics and Brazil’s role in major contemporary crises, Marcelo Lins—an international journalist with over 30 years of experience—reflected on the influence of narratives in shaping public opinion and legitimizing political actions. According to him, “it is difficult to envision any meaningful progress toward peace while the Palestinian issue remains unresolved.”

Following their presentations, Guga Chacra and Marcelo Lins engaged with audience questions in a dynamic debate that addressed, among other topics, the fragmentation of Syria, the strategic role of middle powers such as Brazil, and the influence of regional groupings like the BRICS.

These and other issues—including the war in Ukraine, the Syrian conflict, and the unfolding rivalry between the United States, China, and the BRICS—were thoroughly explored throughout the masterclass.

The initiative underscored the importance of understanding regional crises as part of interconnected global dynamics, and it encouraged reflection on Brazil’s potential for leadership within this ever-evolving international context.