A Woke Soap Opera: The Love story between Brussels and Latin America’s Neo-Marxist NGOs POWERED BY the Center for Fundamental Rights

A new report by the Center for Fundamental Rights investigates the nearly €1 billion in EU funding allocated to NGOs across Latin America between 2014 and 2024—a period marked by the rise of neo-Marxist movements under the umbrella of the São Paulo Forum. Rather than addressing the region’s pressing development needs, a significant portion of this aid has been directed toward advancing ideological causes, including LGBTQ+ advocacy, radical feminism, sexual and reproductive rights, indigenism, unrestricted migration, and “anti-disinformation” efforts that often target dissenting voices. This panel will explore how the EU has emerged as a leading sponsor of what some describe as a new ""NGO-industrial complex,"" stepping in as U.S. funding through USAID wanes. Far from being confined to internal EU politics, Brussels is increasingly active in exporting radical agendas abroad—particularly to regions like Latin America, where traditional values still hold strong social influence. Is this a case of development aid being repurposed for ideological export? What are the long-term consequences of this strategic funding shift—and where does it all lead?