Vina del Mar, Chile - Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Saturday told off representatives of the United States, Britain and Spain - seated before him at a summit in Chile - for causing the global economic crisis.

"My dear Gordon Brown, my dear Biden, my dear Zapatero, unfortunately you are more responsible (for the downturn)," he said, addressing them directly.

Brown, Biden and Zapatero were attending the Progressive Leaders' Summit in the Chilean seaside resort town of Vina del Mar. Brown is engaged on a world tour to seek consensus on financial strategies ahead of next week's G20 Summit in London.

In a conciliatory tone, US Vice President Joe Biden later admitted that his country knows it has a shared responsibility for the crisis. (dpa)