The UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, stated this Thursday that 2026 is shaping up to be «a year of chaos and surprises» and warned that the Security Council is «the only body that can speak on behalf of all on security issues» and «the only one that can authorize the use of force,» referring to President Donald Trump's Peace Council. The Portuguese diplomat, who is facing his final year in office, alerted that «the law of the jungle is replacing the rule of law» and that «multilateral institutions are under attack and international cooperation is weakening.» «Global cooperation systems are outdated, reflecting power structures from over 80 years ago,» he said during his traditional year-end press conference, at a time when the risk of global conflicts has increased due to the erosion of international law. On global issues, he noted that the UN has «condemned the terrible repression» in Iran and called for «a dialogue that avoids a crisis that could be devastating in the region.» Regarding Israel, he affirmed that it must create conditions for a two-state solution and that «the only country that can pressure Israel is the U.S., and that is why it is important that Washington recognizes the rights of Palestinians.» Guterres also called for an agreement in Ukraine «to prevent any kind of bombing» at a time when Vladimir Putin's Russia is attacking Ukrainian energy facilities «to freeze the population and provoke a humanitarian catastrophe.» «The most powerful country in the world is the United States, and many see two poles: China and the U.S.,» he noted. «If we want a stable world with peace and development, we need to support multipolarity.» «We are seeing these days all kinds of trade agreements between different countries. For him, it is also necessary to «restrict the right of veto for issues such as crimes against humanity.» Likewise, he said he is «very proud of the UN's work» and that the organization's work is «more effective than many of the countries that criticize it,» defending it. He stated that he is not concerned about his legacy, something that «corresponds to others to evaluate,» and emphasized that problems such as the reduction of humanitarian aid, growing inequalities, and the climate crisis should not be forgotten, as they are generating «reactions of despair, displacement, and death.» Guterres also warned about the «massive transfer of power to private tech companies,» whose influence on markets, elections, and conflicts can «generate instability when operating without limits or regulations.»
