By: Ana Lorenzo López
How could a quiet sentence from Washington rattle an entire European nation? Newly installed in the Oval Office, Donald Trump caused Europe to hold its breath when, in one of his most baffling statements, he claimed that Spain was part of the BRICS. An apparent presidential slip-up was enough to shake an entire national government and highlight the symbolic and political weight behind this acronym.
Far from being a mere slip of the tongue, the episode revealed the extent to which BRICS have established themselves as increasingly influential players in international politics and economics. The fear aroused by those words was no accident; it reflected the growing perception that this bloc represents a direct challenge to the established international order.
