Cocktails and Commerce: How a Moscow Gala is Quietly Improving BRICS Alliances

Entrepreneurs and diplomats from across Latin America and Russia gathered to reinforce longstanding trade connections, exploring new opportunities as BRICS expansion reshapes intercontinental commerce

In the heart of Moscow, amidst the historic backdrop of Red Square and the Kremlin, the LATAM Chamber of Commerce in Russia (CCLAR) hosted a sophisticated cocktail reception that brought together key figures from both Russian and Latin American business and diplomatic circles. The event, held on Friday, April 4, 2025, at the prestigious Four Seasons Hotel Moscow, marked a significant milestone in strengthening bilateral trade relations at a time when Latin American countries are playing an increasingly key role in the BRICS alliance and global economic partnerships.

A Celebration of Strengthening Economic Ties

The elegant reception, hosted in one of the Four Seasons' glamorous, light-filled venues, featured an exquisite selection of both authentic Latin American and modern Russian appetizers, complemented by an open bar offering signature cocktails crafted by the hotel's renowned mixologists. The sophisticated ambiance of the reimagined legendary Hotel Moskva provided the perfect setting for meaningful networking and discussions about expanding business opportunities between Russia and Latin American nations.

Live Latin American music filled the air as guests mingled, creating a vibrant atmosphere that reflected the cultural richness of the countries represented. The carefully curated event demonstrated CCLAR's commitment to fostering not just economic ties but also cultural understanding between Russia and Latin American nations.

CCLAR's Vision and Leadership

Domingo Garcia, CCLAR's President and founder, delivered an impassioned address outlining the chamber's mission to deepen trade and investment ties between Latin America and Russia. The Mexican national, an HSE University graduate in International Management, founded the organization to capitalize on Latin America's growing economic engagement with Russia amid shifting global dynamics. "We're building indispensable bridges for businesses to thrive across continents," Garcia emphasized, underscoring CCLAR's role in navigating today's geopolitical complexities through strategic partnerships.

A Dynamic Duo

Mr. Garcia and his wife Sasha, who runs the YouTube channel “Sasha Meets Russia”, were really welcoming to everyone at the event. Sasha's channel and social media profiles are really popular because they're such an engaging way to document Russian culture. We had a quick chat with her, and it was a bit of a bummer to hear about her channel being taken down just two days before. She said it wasn't the first time this happened and that it's something she keeps running into. It's a bit of a struggle for her to share authentic cultural stories. We're fellow web content creators, and we're standing by Sasha's mission because we know how important it is to keep the conversation going between different cultures, even though digital platforms are a bit fragile in today's global climate. If you want to keep up with her work, her X profile is still active, and she's still doing great stuff in the cultural exchange space.

Personal Commitment to Cultural Diplomacy

Garcia's dedication to Russian-Latin American relations extends beyond professional endeavors. Having embraced Moscow as his home and Russian cultural values as his own, he now seeks citizenship—a symbolic gesture reinforcing his dual role as economic facilitator and cultural ambassador. Sasha's parallel journey, marked by resilience in the face of digital censorship, highlights the intertwined nature of modern cultural and commercial diplomacy.

Latin America's Growing Prominence in BRICS

The reception gained additional significance against the backdrop of Brazil’s 2025 BRICS presidency and the recent inclusion of Cuba and Bolivia into the alliance’s partnership framework. These developments have substantially elevated Latin America’s role within the BRICS economic cooperation mechanism, creating new avenues for multilateral trade and investment flows.

CCLAR’s BRICS Focus

The chamber has established a dedicated BRICS relations department led by Dmitry Magonya, Vice President for Regulation and Development of BRICS at CCLAR. A Russian lawyer and managing partner of ART DE LEX—a Moscow-based firm representing Russian and foreign clients across Latin America (Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay…) and globally—Magonya brings 30 years of expertise in corporate law, antitrust regulation, and cross-border dispute resolution. His leadership extends to chairing the BRICS New Economy Legal Infrastructure Center (UAE), a nonprofit advancing research on BRICS regulatory frameworks and developing tools like the Business Index and Legal Rating to assess member states’ investment climates.

Strategic Legal Infrastructure

Magonya’s dual roles enable CCLAR to bridge Latin American markets with BRICS’ evolving legal and financial ecosystems. His work focuses on harmonizing dispute-resolution mechanisms and fostering compliance standards for multinational transactions—critical as BRICS explores initiatives like a common payment system and energy-security frameworks. Recent economic studies, cited during the event, indicate robust growth in Latin American democracies, with trade openness and foreign direct investment reinforcing the region’s alignment with BRICS objectives.

New Opportunities on the Horizon

For us of Think BRICS going to the event, it was a great chance to meet entrepreneurs and diplomatic figures from all over Latin America. We're expecting to get some good interviews in the next few weeks, including a discussion with a senior diplomat from the Cuban Embassy in Russia.

"The deepening integration between Latin American economies and BRICS nations, particularly through Russia's expanding partnerships, marks one of the most transformative shifts in today's global economic order," declared Alan Gandelman during his acceptance speech for a CCLAR award recognizing his contributions as Deputy CEO. The financial leader, who serves as Global CEO of the SEFER Group (a Swiss financial conglomerate) and Chairman of Brazil’s SOS Bolso, emphasized: "Events like this reception are pivotal in cementing alliances that will redefine international commerce for decades."

Gandelman—a seasoned expert on Brazil’s financial markets and a former architect of ICAP Brazil’s growth—leverages his decades of experience in global finance to advocate for strengthened Latin American participation in BRICS frameworks. His remarks underscored the strategic importance of cross-continental collaboration amid Brazil’s 2025 BRICS presidency and the alliance’s recent expansion to include Bolivia and Cuba.

Future belongs to BRICS

As foreign economic activities continue to influence the effectiveness of international business operations, innovative trade and export financing tools discussed during the reception highlighted the sophistication of modern Russia-Latin America commercial relationships.

The CCLAR reception exemplified how cultural diplomacy and business networking can intertwine to create meaningful pathways for international cooperation, even amidst challenging global circumstances. As Brazil leads the BRICS alliance through 2025, the strengthened connections between Russia and Latin American nations are poised to play an increasingly significant role in reshaping patterns of global trade and investment.

Yet, despite the evening’s many successes, there was one bittersweet moment that kept it from being absolutely perfect: we didn’t win one of the two special tequila bottles offered as lottery prizes! While we left without the coveted prize, we can’t deny that the event itself was a true celebration of collaboration and camaraderie—and perhaps next time, luck will be on our side!