Milei sparks diplomatic crisis with Brazil after insulting Lula
Milei called Lula a thief and socialist trash in Sao Paulo, prompting Brazil to recall its ambassador and triggering the worst bilateral crisis ever.
Insults in Sao Paulo trigger the crisis
On Saturday, Argentine President Javier Milei traveled to Sao Paulo to support the presidential candidacy of Flavio Bolsonaro and, in a speech, called Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva a thief, socialist trash and a convict, referencing his previous corruption sentence. Milei also referred in derogatory terms to Supreme Federal Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes.
The Brazilian government responded by recalling its ambassador in Buenos Aires, Julio Bitelli, for consultations, and also summoned the Argentine ambassador in Brazil, Daniel Raimondi. Far from retracting, Milei doubled down on the criticism and accused the Brazilian government of financing an alleged anti-Argentina campaign, without presenting evidence to support that claim.
Brazil calls it an unprecedented episode
Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira and Bitelli held a key meeting on Monday at the Itamaraty Palace to define next steps after the episode. A statement from the Brazilian foreign ministry said there are “no precedents” for such a situation, in which a foreign president accumulates aggressions against the head of state and democratic institutions of a country with which Argentina has maintained 203 years of friendship and cooperation. Brazil’s Economy Minister Dario Durigan also harshly criticized the Argentine leader.
Despite the diplomatic tension, Milei kept his planned agenda: he was to meet on Monday with IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva and travel on Tuesday to Peru for Keiko Fujimori’s inauguration. The crisis opens a new chapter of friction between two of the region’s leading economies, with consequences still uncertain for the bilateral relationship and trade ties between both countries.