28/07/2026 15:23 - Politica
The decades-long partnership between South America's two largest economies is facing its most severe rupture. On July 25, 2026, Argentine President Javier Milei traveled to São Paulo, Brazil, to back the presidential candidacy of Flávio Bolsonaro — son of former far-right President Jair Bolsonaro. During the rally, Milei launched a series of blistering personal attacks against Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, calling him a 'thief' and a 'convict', and insulted Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes as 'bald garbage'.
These remarks — made on foreign soil — prompted an unprecedented diplomatic backlash. Two days later, on July 27, 2026, when asked by reporters at the Itamaraty Palace about Milei's outburst, Lula dismissed the provocation with sarcasm: 'Who is that guy?' before walking away. The incident has been described by Brazilian officials as a 'rupture without precedent' in the 203-year history of bilateral relations.
Chief of Cabinet Diego Santilli defended Milei by pointing out that Lula's cabinet actively campaigned for Argentina's former Economy Minister Sergio Massa during the 2023 Argentine presidential election. Spokesman Adrián Ravier attempted to de-escalate, stating that 'the intention is not for the conflict to grow' nor to disrupt bilateral trade, which reached US$31.195 billion in 2025 — making Brazil Argentina's largest trading partner.
Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira summoned Argentine ambassador Daniel Raimondi to express the government's 'repudiation' and demand explanations. Brazil also called back its own ambassador in Buenos Aires, Julio Bitelli, for consultations. Bitelli met with Vieira for about 40 minutes to assess the crisis. Meanwhile, the Workers' Party (PT) filed a complaint with Brazil's electoral prosecutor to investigate who financed Milei's trip. Sources from Argentina's Casa Rosada claimed the state treasury covered the entire cost. The presence of Argentine Consul in São Paulo Luis Kreckler and Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno at the partisan event also sparked controversy.
Chinese President Xi Jinping publicly voiced support for Lula da Silva, emphasizing opposition to 'external interference' during a phone call. Beijing underscored the importance of defending Brazil's sovereignty just three months before the country's presidential election scheduled for October 4, 2026.
Brazilian diplomatic sources told local media that, while they will not break commercial ties, the diplomatic relationship is unlikely to recover before the October elections. The incident has cast a shadow over the Mercosur trade bloc, which includes both nations, and raised concerns about future cooperation on energy, infrastructure, and regional integration.
Who is Javier Milei? A far-right libertarian economist who took office as Argentina's president in December 2023. He is known for his aggressive rhetoric against socialism and the political establishment. Lula da Silva is a left-wing icon and former union leader who returned to Brazil's presidency in 2023. The two leaders represent opposing ideological poles in Latin America. The Riesgo País (country risk) is a measure of a country's default risk; Argentina's has soared above 2,000 points under Milei's austerity policies.
Alfredo S. Quiroga
