Milei planning trips to Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia – and UK

Those close to President Javier Milei insist that the construction of a regional political bloc of like-minded leaders is not on his agenda. They say it is neither a priority nor a strategic objective and that no such plan has been drawn up.

Yet the President's schedule for the second half of the year appears to tell a different story. A series of upcoming trips across South America suggests an increasingly active regional agenda aimed at strengthening ties with ideological allies.

Speaking at the turn of the month, Milei confirmed a succession of overseas visits during the final week of July and the first week of August. The itinerary includes his attendance at the inaugurations of Peru's president-elect, Keiko Fujimori, and Colombia's president-elect, Abelardo de la Espriella. There are also opportunities to deepen relations with other conservative figures across the region.

Milei is also expected to meet Ecuadorean President Daniel Noboa and, before that, travel to São Paulo to attend an event at which Senator Flávio Bolsonaro is due to be nominated as his political movement's presidential candidate. Milei has also made clear that he hopes to visit his ally, former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro, in Brasília.

Officials at the Casa Rosada believe domestic politics has entered a more stable phase. They argue that the departure of the politically weakened Manuel Adorni has eased pressure on the administration and that the groundwork for Milei's re-election campaign is now under way, thanks to agreements being negotiated with allied provincial governors under the gaze of Cabinet Chief Diego Santilli.

With financial market concerns largely contained – or at least that is the message Economy Minister Luis ‘Toto’ Caputo wants to project – the government believes it has secured relative stability until the end of next year. 

Against that backdrop, Milei is undertaking an ambitious international agenda in the second half of the year, spanning both South America and Europe, with the stated aim of positioning Argentina as a destination for foreign investment.

The first stop on the regional tour is scheduled for July 25 in Brazil, where Milei will meet Flávio Bolsonaro. Another of the former president's sons, Eduardo Bolsonaro, was recently sentenced to three years in prison.

Milei confirmed last week that he also intends to visit Jair Bolsonaro, the former far-right Brazilian president who remains at odds with the administration of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and is currently serving a sentence under house arrest in Brasília on health grounds.

Brazil is Argentina's largest trading partner, but relations between Milei and Lula have been strained from the outset. Officials at the Foreign Ministry in Buenos Aires privately describe Milei's planned visit to Bolsonaro as something of a reciprocal gesture. On July 3 last year, Lula visited former Argentine president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner at her home in Buenos Aires, where she is serving her own sentence for corruption under house arrest.

On July 28, Milei is due to travel to Lima for the inauguration of Keiko Fujimori, who narrowly defeated left-winger Roberto Sánchez in a closely fought run-off election.

"I congratulate Keiko Fujimori on her historic victory in Peru. The Peruvian people have joined Colombia in sending a clear message: the region wants to return to the path of freedom and security," Milei posted on social media after the election result was confirmed.

One recent meeting that attracted little public attention took place between presidential adviser Santiago Caputo and Luis Galarreta, Fujimori's running-mate. Few details have emerged, although participants reportedly discussed ways to expand regional cooperation and counter the political left.

Milei is also expected to travel to Colombia on August 7 for the inauguration of president-elect Abelardo de la Espriella, who defeated the candidate backed by outgoing President Gustavo Petro in a second-round vote.

Argentina’s President is also expected to visit Ecuador around the same time.. The principal objective is to meet President Daniel Noboa and sign a bilateral agreement, although the government has disclosed no details about the proposed accord.

Milei recently stressed the importance of expanding trade across the region. "Argentina should be trading three times as much as it does today," he said, describing himself as "a president willing to open the country to the world".

While his immediate focus is on South America and forging closer ties with ideologically aligned governments, Europe also features prominently on his diplomatic calendar for the second half of the year.

A new edition of "Argentina Week" is planned for late September in Paris, with the aim of attracting European investment following the signing and provisional implementation of the Mercosur-European Union trade agreement.

Another key item under consideration is a long-delayed visit to the United Kingdom, which has been postponed several times since the beginning of the year. Officials at the Casa Rosada say no bilateral agenda has yet been finalised following the departure of Keir Starmer as prime minister and talks are on hold.

The government is also considering staging an "Argentina Week" in London, although no decision has been taken. Officials believe the British capital remains a key financial centre where many of the world's largest sovereign wealth and investment funds – including several from the Gulf states – make investment decisions.

At the same time, any visit by an Argentine head of state to the United Kingdom would inevitably bring renewed attention to the long-running sovereignty dispute over the Malvinas (Falkland) Islands.