SAO PAULO, Brazil (AP) 鈥� Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced Sunday that it recalled its ambassador to Argentina after President Javier Milei insulted Brazilian officials while in their country.
The decision comes a day after Milei was in Sao Paulo participating in an event where Brazilian Sen. Fl谩vio Bolsonaro, a son of former President , was confirmed as the presidential candidate of his father鈥檚 party.
During his speech at Saturday鈥檚 event, Milei accused Brazilian President Luiz In谩cio Lula da Silva of being a 鈥渢hief鈥� and a 鈥渄elinquent,鈥� among other things. Milei also accused Supreme Federal Court Minister Alexandre de Moraes of being 鈥渢rash鈥� after he denied the Argentine president a visit to Jair Bolsonaro, who is under house arrest serving .
The president of the Supreme Federal Court, Minister Edson Fachin, said Milei鈥檚 comments were a 鈥渄isrespectful reference to a magistrate of the highest court in the country, made on Brazilian soil.鈥�
A spokesperson for 叠谤补锄颈濒鈥檚 foreign affairs ministry said Ambassador Julio Bitelli was recalled for consultations following Milei鈥檚 statements.
Former Argentine President Alberto Fern谩ndez posted a video on X on Sunday exposing Milei鈥檚 insults.
鈥淢ilei went to Brazil shouting like a madman, demanding to see a coup plotter in jail,” he wrote. 鈥淚nsulting the president of a sister nation and our main trading partner is unforgivable.鈥�
Meanwhile, the governor of the province of Buenos Aires, Axel Kicillof, a potential candidate in next year鈥檚 general elections, announced on X that he contacted Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira on Sunday “to convey that Milei does not represent the feelings of the Argentine people.”
He said he watched 鈥渨ith profound shame as President Milei offended and insulted the Brazilian government, its president, and the entire country. From the province of Buenos Aires, we maintain that Argentina respects its sister nations and is committed to regional integration.鈥�
Kicillof noted that Brazil is Argentina鈥檚 main trading partner and asserted that 鈥渨ith these provocations, Milei is jeopardizing investments, exports, thousands of jobs, and Argentina鈥檚 interests, all to support a candidate at Trump鈥檚 behest.鈥�
Lula has not publicly addressed Milei’s remarks, but in an opinion piece published Sunday by The Washington Post in which he called U.S. tariffs against Brazil 鈥渁 strategic mistake,鈥� he asserted that 鈥湹钩北翕�檚 destiny is determined only by Brazilians without external interference, without subservience.鈥�
Those comments come a day after Brazil’s Foreign Ministry who sought to travel to the South American nation next week. The ministry did not offer an explanation.
Lula is seeking reelection and will run against , whose family has many ties with the Trump administration.
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