In brief
Argentine President Javier Milei stunned the international community by calling Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva a “thief” and a “convict” at a Sao Paulo rally. The outburst prompted Brazil’s foreign ministry to recall its ambassador to Buenos Aires, signaling a sharp diplomatic rebuke. While Milei blasted Lula and praised his own campaign’s rival, Flávio Bolsonaro, Brazil’s officials denounced the remarks as an insult to democracy. Lula responded defiant, insisting he would continue governing without interference. The tangle underscores lingering tensions over corruption allegations, judicial disputes, and electoral politics in South America.
Argentina's populist President Javier Milei criticised Brazil’s Lula, prompting a swift diplomatic backlash.
Milei took the word ‘thief’ and ‘convict’ to a Sao Paulo rally, where he and right‑wing candidate Flávio Bolsonaro were launching a campaign. He said only Bolsonaro could ‘stop Lula.’
Brazil’s diplomatic corps reacted rapidly. The Brazilian ambassador to Argentina, Julio Bitelli, was ordered to return home as officials denounced the remarks as an insult to Brazil’s democratic system.
In response, Lula declared he would govern “without interference,” warning that in Brazil, “nobody sticks their nose where it does not belong.”
Milei’s critique extended to Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, whom he called “bald trash.” The judge, who denied Milei a visit to jailed former President Jair Bolsonaro, has faced his own legal battles.
Observers see the exchange as a gamble in a region where allegations of corruption and political coups linger, and the 2026 elections could further reshape power dynamics.
