**BRASILIA/BUENOS AIRES** — Brazil downgraded its diplomatic relations with Argentina to the charge d’affaires level following repeated verbal attacks on Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva by Argentine President Javier Milei.
During a media interview on Sunday, Milei referred to Lula as a “thief” and “corrupt.” These remarks followed previous insults, including a July 25 event in São Paulo where Milei called Lula a criminal. Milei was in Brazil to support the presidential candidacy of Flávio Bolsonaro, son of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro. The elder Bolsonaro is currently serving a 27-year prison sentence for plotting a coup after losing his 2022 reelection bid.
In response to the July 25 remarks, Brazil recalled its ambassador to Argentina, Julio Bitelli, on July 26. Citing foreign ministry sources, Brazilian media reported the formal downgrade of ties on Tuesday.
Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira has ruled out harsher measures for now, such as a complete severance of diplomatic representation. The Argentine foreign ministry expressed regret over the move on Tuesday, attributing it to “purely ideological reasons.”
### Brazil-U.S. Tensions
Simultaneously, Brazil’s relations with the United States faced strain over diplomatic credentials.
In a YouTube interview with Meteoro Brasil on Wednesday, President Lula criticized a U.S. decision to revoke the visa of Brazil’s ambassador to Washington, Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti, calling the action “irresponsible and thoughtless.”
The U.S. Department of State announced the visa revocation on Tuesday, describing it as retaliation for Brazil’s refusal last month to issue visas to two State Department officials, as well as alleged delays in approving U.S. President Donald Trump’s nominee for ambassador to Brazil, Daniel Perez.
Lula countered that Washington had left its embassy in Brazil without a chief representative for over a year and a half. “They expect us to act on their timeline? That is neither fair nor acceptable. We demand to be treated with respect,” Lula stated.
### Upcoming Elections in Brazil
During the Wednesday interview, Lula announced that Brazil will not receive new ambassadors prior to the general elections scheduled for October 4. “Chúng ta không thể chấp nhận sự can thiệp” (We cannot accept interference), he said.
Lula is seeking a fourth four-year term in the upcoming election, competing against the Liberal Party’s candidate, supported by the Bolsonaro family. According to media reports, Bolsonaro has also received open backing from members of the Trump administration and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Trump and Milei are allies of the Bolsonaro family.
Some members of Brazil’s ruling Workers’ Party (PT) have voiced concerns regarding potential foreign intervention in the vote. “This election in Brazil determines the future of Latin America,” PT leader Edinho Silva stated during Sunday’s convention, where Lula was officially nominated as the party’s presidential candidate.
Since 2023, several South American nations—including Argentina, Paraguay, Chile, Peru, Ecuador, and Colombia—have elected right-wing presidents, marking a political shift across the region. As Latin America’s largest economy and a founding member of the BRICS grouping, Brazil’s electoral outcome is seen as significant for the regional and ideological balance of the Global South.
Article and image source: argentinastar.com
