Argentina’s Milei Labels Brazil’s Lula a “Thief” and “Convict”

At a rally in São Paulo that also launched right‑wing candidate Flávio Bolsonaro’s presidential bid, Javier Milei publicly accused Brazil’s president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of being a thief and a convict.

Milei did not state the name of the Brazilian leader outright, but his remarks joined the son of former president Jair Bolsonaro, whom Milei had earlier denounced as “bald trash.” He also called for Bolsonaro to “stop Lula.”

In response, Brazilian diplomats said the Argentine chief had insulted the nation’s government, its people and its democracy. President Lula replied that he would “continue to lead ‘without anyone’s interference’” and that “Brazil does not accept anyone sticking their nose where it doesn’t belong.”

To punish the insult, Brazil has recalled its ambassador to Buenos Aires, Julio Bitelli, who was scheduled to return home between Sunday and Monday. The move signals a sharp diplomatic rift at a time when both countries are preparing for upcoming elections.

Milei’s comments come amid a web of controversies that have long punctuated both Argentine and Brazilian politics, from Bolsonaro’s 27‑year prison sentence for attempting a coup, to the former president’s own 12‑year conviction for corruption in 2018, which was annulled in 2021. The rising tensions reflect a contested moment as far‑right Bolsonaro’s son eyes the 2026 Brazilian presidential race.