Milei's spokesperson plays down diplomatic spat with Brazil

Argentina on Tuesday sought to downplay tensions with Brazil after President Javier Milei made derogatory comments about his Brazilian counterpart Luis Inácio Lula da Silva.

Milei visited São Paulo on Saturday to endorse the presidential candidacy of Flávio Bolsonaro, the son of Brazil's former far-right leader Jair Bolsonaro.

During the event, Milei called Brazil's incumbent leader a "convict" and a "thief," without explicitly naming Lula. He also appeared to refer to Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes as "bald trash."

Milei's presidential spokesperson Adrián Ravier told a press conference on Wednesday: "These are ideological and political differences, but at least Argentina has never taken those differences to the diplomatic level." 

"It is not our intention for this to affect bilateral trade relations" between Argentina and Brazil, he added.

On Sunday, Milei claimed during an interview with the local Radio Mitre station that his country was the subject of a negative "campaign" financed by Brazil and Mexico – Latin American countries with leftist leaders – and the Democratic Party in the United States.

He presented no evidence for his claim.

"There have always been insults from both sides," said Ravier.

Brazil recalled its ambassador to Argentina for consultations Sunday, while a diplomatic source told the AFP news agency it also summoned Argentina's ambassador to discuss the "insults."

Milei "insulted two branches of government, the Brazilian people and Brazilian democracy," the source said.

Ravier referred to the Bolsonaros as "friends and colleagues" of Milei's efforts to "advance pro-market ideas."

"Lula opposes these ideas and the differences are clear. They are part of an ideological and political issue," he said. 

"This is not going to affect the diplomatic relationship," Ravier insisted.

– TIMES/AFP