If you want to test a man’s character, give him power

The pursuit and display of power among world leaders have led to global instability. Power is a game-changer that affects the fate of nations and people. It is about influence, money, and consequently, corruption. Hypocrisy wears expensive shoes.
As geopolitics shake the international arena, a look into the dismantling of the long-standing international order is worth reading. As the world stands at a crossroads with regional crises and power rivalries, the stage is set to establish whether diplomacy or conflict will shape our future.
The definition of power varies depending on the discipline, including sociology, psychology, economics, political science and philosophy. It is simply the capacity to influence, lead, dominate and have an impact on the lives and actions of society.
Power is contextual, but it is also a resource. As a resource, power can be used as a threat or revenge against individuals, organisations, or nations that defy the powerholder. For instance, Donald Trump’s Liberation Day tariffs, which impose inflated tariff levels on international trade partners to address a long-standing US trade deficit, are stretching presidential authority. Another example was the withholding of funds to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, an autonomous organ of the Organisation of American States, to obtain specific objectives.
The use of intimidating tactics, which include shaming heads of state, using tariffs, and coercion against organisations and nations that disagree with Trump’s objectives, raises questions about the boundaries of his position as President of the United States.
With manufactured narratives and a belligerent style, Trump revisits the how-to procedures of authoritarian power. Trump is not alone in this; there is a defiant Vladimir Putin, and there is Benjamin Netanyahu. From South and Central America to Africa, Asia, Europe and the Middle East, there is no shortage of players ready to architect peace or conflict based on their interests.
In terms of context, China’s display of military power clearly indicates its desire for a new global order. The attendance of Russian, North Korean, Indian, and Iranian leaders at the China Victory Day military parade represented a diplomatically choreographed spectacle that may test the US-led global order. We witness the development of an alliance without allegiance.
The BRICS countries are posing challenges to the world's leadership. With Brazil as a key founder, the group of nations aims to decrease their dependence on the US dollar and build a collaborative financial system. European observers view BRICS as a geopolitical strategy orchestrated by China and Russia, aimed at transforming global governance through a Sino-Russian axis.
These shifting dynamics have put Brazil under Trump’s ire. His administration has launched unparalleled political and financial attacks against Brazil’s government and judiciary.
The attacks on Brazil are partly connected to Trump’s Make America Great Again (MAGA) agenda. They are also a response to the global movement towards reforming the international system.
Trump is using Brazil to issue a warning to other nations, particularly those within the BRICS group, regarding issues such as the regulation of digital communications, the adoption of alternative currencies to the US dollar for trade transactions, and their diplomatic ties with China.
The world is descending into a state of emergency with threats and militarised and punitive actions. The escalation of tensions between nations can echo across different regions in multiple ways. Regardless of who it harms, the power game is an essential part of business and politics. The goal is to form a geopolitical sphere of influence, with the in-between countries serving as pawns on a chessboard.
Power is more addictive than drugs. It is a corrupting force. It makes powerholders feel invincible and above the law. In accountable societies, mechanisms exist to prevent the adverse effects of unchecked authority.

Sonia Ambrosio The writer is journalist, academic and researcher in media studies