Relations deteriorate between Argentina and Brazil

The Brazilian ambassador in Buenos Aires, Julio Bitelli, was recalled for consultations by Lula’s government in the midst of tensions with Argentine president Javier Milei

July 16, 2024 by ARG Medios
Julio Bitelli with Lula. Photo via ARG Medios

This Monday, July 15, Brazilian ambassador to Argentina Julio Bitelli met with Foreign Minister Mauro Viera in Brasilia, and was later joined by Lula himself. The meeting took place after Milei traveled to Santa Catarina to meet with the former Brazilian president, Jair Bolsonaro, whom Milei described as “politically persecuted”.

Regarding the meeting, the Argentine president claimed that the Bolsonaros “really make me feel at home, and it is always a pleasure to be among friends.” In the same week, the Mercosur summit was held in Asunción, Paraguay, which Milei decided not to attend, generating uneasiness among the rest of the bloc.

The uneasiness between Lula and Milei did not stop growing. Before the trip to Brazil, the Argentine president once again described his Brazilian counterpart as corrupt, and he was told to apologize by the Brazilian presidency. The Argentine response came from the presidential spokesman, Manuel Adorni, who stated that, “Whatever Lula wants, it is within his wishes, we respect him, but [Milei] has not done anything he should regret.”

Another tension is due to the 92 Bolsonaristas convicted of attempting a coup against Lula on January 8, 2023, who are currently fugitives in Argentina seeking political asylum. President Milei is under pressure by the Bolsonaro family to protect them, even though this would leave the relationship between Argentina and Brazil on the verge of rupture.

This morning, Julio Bitelli himself in an interview in Futurock lowered his tone and said that the conversation was to see how to continue the relationship between the countries, since Milei and Lula have different world views. “This is not the same as what is happening with Spain or Bolivia,” he added.

This was first published in Spanish at ARG Medios.