Milei's Latest Attack on Lula
President Javier Milei has once again strained relations with Brazil by labeling his Brazilian counterpart, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, a thief. The derogatory remark from the libertarian leader toward the Workers' Party leader comes as he openly supports Flavio Bolsonaro ahead of the October 25 runoff. Milei reposted a publication from the Cato Institute, a US-based liberal think tank, which featured a photo of Lula with a microphone and a quote from Ian Vasquez, the organization's vice president for international studies, stating that corruption has largely driven people to reject Lula and his party. Milei added his own comment in capital letters, writing 'Lula thief,' and shared it on his Instagram stories.[S1]
The post was made during the campaign for the second round, scheduled for the last week of this month. In the first electoral round on Sunday, October 4, Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, secured 47.15% of the vote, while Lula, seeking reelection, obtained 45.02%. Since neither surpassed 50%, they will compete in a runoff. This is not the first time Milei has used such language toward the Brazilian president. In July, during his stay in Sao Paulo, he also called Lula a thief and described him as a prisoner and a totalitarian.[S1]
Diplomatic Fallout and Historical Context
Lula was not the only target of Milei's remarks. In one of the harshest passages of his speech, Milei also criticized Judge Alexandre de Moraes, who tightened restrictions on Jair Bolsonaro's house arrest, saying that the bald garbage did not allow him to see his friend, unjustly imprisoned. The statements prompted a response from the Brazilian government, which summoned its ambassador in Buenos Aires for consultations. Days later, the Argentine president repeated the accusations in an interview, calling Lula a thief and corrupt, and claiming that his release was due to a procedural flaw rather than innocence.[S1]
Lula was convicted of corruption in the Lava Jato case and spent 580 days in prison between 2018 and 2021. That year, the Supreme Federal Court annulled the convictions, ruling that the Curitiba court that tried him lacked jurisdiction and declaring former judge Sergio Moro biased. After regaining his freedom and political rights, Lula won the 2022 elections and returned to the presidency. Next week, Milei will travel to the United States to attend the Hispanic Heritage Gala on October 14 in Washington, where Eduardo Bolsonaro, former deputy and brother of Flavio, will also be present.[S1]
The attacks have a sustained history since the 2023 campaign, when Milei often called Lula a corrupt communist. After taking office, labels such as prisoner, thief, and socialist garbage were repeated in television interviews and public appearances. This string of verbal attacks recently led Brazil's Foreign Ministry to withdraw its ambassador in Buenos Aires, Julio Bitelli, and reduce bilateral representation to the level of charge d'affaires, one of the most severe diplomatic protests by Lula's government in recent history. The new clash tests the strategic relationship between the two countries in commercial and diplomatic terms, while Milei's administration backs the Brazilian opposition and the Planalto Palace has largely kept its distance to protect institutional ties.[S2]
