Brazil ordered Ambassador Julio Bitelli back from Buenos Aires for consultations on 26 July and called in Argentina’s representative in Brasília. The foreign ministry’s response followed a weekend address in São Paulo by Argentine President Javier Milei that Brazilian officials characterised as offensive to the country’s leadership and institutions.
Milei delivered the speech at the event formally launching right-wing candidate Flávio Bolsonaro’s bid in Brazil’s approaching presidential election. Without saying Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s name, he described Brazil’s leftist president as both a thief and a convict. He also directed a disparaging expression at Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, again without identifying the target directly.
A Brazilian diplomatic source told AFP that the intervention affronted two arms of the state as well as Brazil’s people and democratic system. Bitelli was expected to reach Brazil between Sunday and Monday. The same source confirmed that Argentina’s ambassador had been summoned to discuss the comments. The initial account gave no indication that diplomatic relations were being severed or that additional measures had been selected.
The rally linked the dispute to Brazil’s domestic campaign. Milei urged voters to reject what he termed a “Lula risk” and to escape domination by the political left. Flávio Bolsonaro is the son of Jair Bolsonaro, Brazil’s president from 2019 to 2022.
Moraes featured in Milei’s remarks because he had refused the Argentine leader permission to meet Jair Bolsonaro at his Brasília home. The former president was under house arrest after being convicted of taking part in a plot to overturn the result of the 2022 election, a case overseen by Moraes. Milei called Bolsonaro an unfairly imprisoned friend.
Lula did not directly answer Milei by name. Addressing a union gathering on Sunday, however, he said he would continue governing free from interference and warned outsiders against involving themselves in Brazilian affairs.
In a later interview with Argentina’s Radio Mitre, Milei alleged that Brazil, Mexico and the United States Democratic Party were financing a campaign against Argentina. He offered no concrete support for that assertion. AFP reported that he appeared to be referring in part to criticism of Argentina’s conduct after losing the football World Cup final 1-0 to Spain. The match ended in an on-field fight, and members of the Argentine squad turned their backs during the trophy presentation, prompting accusations of poor sportsmanship.
Brazil’s two diplomatic actions therefore addressed remarks made in an explicitly electoral setting and involving both the presidency and judiciary. The report did not include a formal Argentine government reply to the summons.
