Between Pontiffs and Engineers of the Abyss
Paulo Nassar
In the contemporary geopolitical landscape, where interdependence should unite us, we once again witness the rise of invisible—but profoundly real—walls.
Economic tariffs multiply like trenches raised against the spirit of cooperation. Instead of opening markets, we open wounds. Instead of promoting fair trade, we fuel fear of the other.
The logic of wild protectionism hides the resurgence of an old figure: the bridge destroyer. He wears the suit of a head of state but acts as an architect of the abyss. He dismantles agreements, sabotages multilateral organizations, and imposes tariffs not as instruments of balance, but as weapons of intimidation.
Trade ceases to be a bridge between peoples and becomes a tool of separation. The World Trade Organization, multilateralism, and shared norms are treated as obstacles, when in fact they are the foundations of global stability.
The promise of a connected world, with value chains that transcend borders, is being undone step by step. In the name of so-called economic security, barriers are being rebuilt. The former fluidity between continents turns into a game of mistrust, where each link fears the other.
Interdependence, which should be a synonym for resilience and cooperation, is now framed as weakness. But the true fragility lies in fragmentation. It is not by strengthening walls that we will protect economies—it is by strengthening bonds. The world does not need fortified economies; it needs connected economies.
We are also witnessing the resurgence of a dangerous rhetoric: that of rampant economic nationalism. It disguises itself as protection for workers, but isolates the consumer. It claims to defend domestic production, yet weakens competitiveness. This model shuts doors, sabotages pacts, and turns trade partners into strategic adversaries.
The logic of “every man for himself” may sound appealing in domestic speeches, but it is disastrous on the global stage. Nations that impose tariffs today will face retaliation tomorrow. The cycle of mistrust is as predictable as it is destructive.
When the world’s major powers choose unilateral measures, economic sanctions, and punitive tariffs, the whole world trembles. The global trade balance is not a zero-sum game—it is a delicate ecosystem. And when long-negotiated agreements—such as those between distant blocs like South America and Europe—are stalled due to internal pressures or protectionist interests, the bridge between hemispheres crumbles before it is even crossed.
Trade should be a tool of reconciliation, not political bargaining.
Faced with this scenario, it is important to highlight a frequently overlooked yet absolutely essential actor: the communicator. Journalists, public relations professionals, advertisers, teachers, diplomats, educators, thinkers, and opinion leaders now carry the responsibility of also being bridge-builders. In times of noise and distortion, communicating with clarity, depth, and responsibility is a political act. It is through words that we create the conditions for understanding. It is through listening that we preserve the possibility of agreement.
Economic diplomacy needs courage. Vision. Leaders who think beyond election cycles and see trade as a lever for peace. Tariffs, sanctions, and barriers must not become the new language of geopolitics.
We must return to the lexicon of cooperation, responsible interdependence, and negotiated trust. Multilateralism is not naïve. It is strategic.
And now more than ever, the world needs economic pontiffs. Leaders who know how to build bridges between capital and labor, between nations and blocs, between growth and justice.
Because true progress cannot be imposed. It must be shared. And where there is a bridge, there is possibility.
Paulo Nassar is President-Director of Aberje (Brazilian Association for Business Communication) and Full Professor at the University of São Paulo (USP).
Any thoughts or opinions expressed are that of the authors and not of Global Alliance.