Diplomatic Incident in São Paulo
During a convention of Brazil's Liberal Party in São Paulo on Saturday, Argentine President Javier Milei launched a series of severe insults against Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, calling him a 'thief', 'presidiário', and 'leftist'. Milei was in Brazil to support the presidential candidacy of Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, son of former President Jair Bolsonaro. He also accused Lula of interfering in Argentina's 2023 elections, calling him a 'neighbor who meddled in Argentine politics to help the leftists'. He made ironic remarks about a technical issue with the microphones, questioning if 'the thief' had tampered with them.[S1][S2][S3][S4][S5]
Milei also directed insults at Supreme Federal Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, calling him 'bald garbage', and described former President Jair Bolsonaro as an 'unjustly imprisoned friend'. He criticized the conviction of Bolsonaro, who was sentenced to over 27 years in prison for leading a coup attempt to prevent Lula from taking office. Milei claimed that Bolsonaro was being persecuted. The Argentine president's speech lasted approximately 25 minutes and marked his third visit to Brazil since taking office, without any meeting with Lula. Before the convention, Milei met with São Paulo Governor Tarcísio de Freitas, who awarded him the Order of Ipiranga, the state's highest honor.[S1][S2][S3][S4][S5]
Brazil's Diplomatic Response
In response, Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira ordered the recall of Ambassador Julio Bitelli from Buenos Aires for consultations, a strong diplomatic protest that is one of the most severe steps short of breaking relations. The decision was made on Sunday after consulting with President Lula and was communicated to the embassy. Bitelli is expected to return to Brasília in the coming hours. Brazilian sources described Milei's remarks as an 'affront' that crossed all red lines, calling them unprecedented in decades of bilateral relations. The move deepens tensions between Brazil and Argentina, Brazil's main trading partner in the region.[S1][S2][S3][S4][S5]
Brazilian officials strongly condemned Milei's remarks. Workers' Party President Edinho Silva called them 'unacceptable' and said Milei lacks the stature for his office, adding that it is inadmissible for a foreign head of state to address Brazil's constituted powers with disrespect. Institutional Relations Minister José Guimarães also criticized Milei, saying he expected the Argentine president to learn that governing means caring for people, not dismantling rights. Guimarães also questioned Milei's economic agenda. Supreme Federal Court President Edson Fachin rejected the insults against Justice de Moraes, calling them disrespectful and made on Brazilian soil. The PT leader described Milei's behavior as unbecoming of a head of state.[S1][S2][S4][S5]
Background of Strained Relations
This was Milei's third visit to Brazil since assuming the presidency, and again he did not meet with Lula. His agenda focused on Bolsonaro allies. The diplomatic crisis echoes a similar incident in May 2024 when Spain recalled its ambassador after Milei made comments about Spanish President Pedro Sánchez's wife. The recall of an ambassador is a rare and serious diplomatic step, indicating a deep rupture in relations. Tensions between the two largest South American economies have been high since Milei took office, with political distance contrasting with their strong economic ties. Brazil is Argentina's main trading partner, but the political relationship has been distant.[S1][S3][S5]
