Brazil has recalled its ambassador to Argentina after President Javier Milei referred to Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva as a “thief” and a “convict” during a campaign event in São Paulo.
Milei made the remarks while supporting Flávio Bolsonaro, the son of former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro, who is contesting October’s presidential election.
Although Milei did not mention Lula by name, he referred to his previous imprisonment on corruption charges. Those convictions were later annulled, allowing Lula to return to politics and win the 2022 presidential election.
The Argentine president also criticised a Brazilian Supreme Court justice, calling him “bald trash.” The judge had recently denied Milei’s request to visit Jair Bolsonaro, who is serving house arrest after being convicted of plotting a coup following his 2022 election defeat.
Brazilian officials strongly condemned Milei’s comments. Government sources said he had insulted Brazil’s institutions, democracy and people.
President Lula did not directly mention Milei during a public event. However, he said Brazil would not accept outsiders interfering in its domestic affairs.
The diplomatic dispute marks a fresh setback in relations between South America’s two largest economies. Despite political tensions, Brazil and Argentina remain each other’s biggest trading partners.
Lula currently leads opinion polls ahead of the October election, although a significant share of voters remain undecided.
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