The hypocrisy of the “no to war” stance at the Barcelona ‘Global Progressive Mobilisation’

Odds are you’ve heard about so-called “prediction markets.” While traditional casinos fleece workers with games of chance, platforms like Polymarket and Kalshi allow users to gamble on anything. Users can bet not only on sports, but also who will show up to the Oscars, which words Trump will use in a speech, or whether this month will be the hottest April on record.

Convened under the auspices of the ‘Global Progressive Mobilisation’ and under the leadership of the Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, the fourth ‘In Defence of Democracy’ meeting was held in Barcelona from 17-19 April. The meeting was chaired by Sánchez, and featured prominent national leaders such as Mexico’s Claudia Sheinbaum, Colombia’s Gustavo Petro, and Brazil’s Lula da Silva, amongst others.

For over a month, Israeli and US strikes have targeted every major city and province across Iran. As of 13 April, the Iranian Red Crescent has confirmed 2,076 deaths, overwhelmingly of civilians, but the real figure is much higher as many are buried under rubble.