Brazil Weighs When to Return Ambassador to Argentina

Brazil’s government is weighing when to return its ambassador to Argentina after recalling him to Brasília for consultations over remarks by President Javier Milei at a Brazilian opposition party convention. Officials consider it unlikely that Ambassador Julio Bitelli will return to Buenos Aires this week, and one possibility is that he will remain in Brazil for about a month, according to single-source reporting by O Globo.

The government is monitoring new statements from Milei and his administration before deciding on the next step. Officials at the Planalto Palace, the seat of Brazil’s executive branch, are also following the reaction among Argentine voters to Milei’s remarks. Lula’s aides believe the Argentine public has rejected the president’s conduct, although O Globo did not provide polling or other data to support that assessment.

Diplomatic Response

The recall of Bitelli was one of two measures taken by Brazil after Milei spoke at a national convention of Brazil’s Liberal Party (PL) in São Paulo on Saturday. The event formally presented Flávio Bolsonaro, a PL lawmaker and son of former president Jair Bolsonaro, as a candidate.

Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira also summoned Argentina’s ambassador in Brasília, Daniel Raimondi, to express the government’s rejection of Milei’s statements. The diplomatic actions signaled that Lula’s administration viewed the speech as a serious affront, while stopping short of severing or suspending relations.

Lula briefly spoke with Bitelli on Monday while waiting for South Korean President Lee Jae Myung at a reception at the Foreign Ministry’s Itamaraty Palace in Brasília. The report did not say whether the two discussed the ambassador’s possible return in detail.

Milei’s Speech

During the PL convention, Milei delivered a lengthy speech attacking Lula and Supreme Federal Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes. The court, known in Brazil as the STF, is the country’s highest judicial body. Milei said he trusted Flávio Bolsonaro to “prevent socialism” in Brazil.

Milei referred to Lula as a “convict” and called Moraes a “bald piece of trash,” after the justice denied Milei’s request to visit Jair Bolsonaro. The report did not provide further details about the request or the court’s reasoning.

Lula avoided a direct confrontation when reporters asked him about Milei. He responded ironically: “Who is this guy?” Finance Minister Dario Durigan, meanwhile, called the Argentine president a “clown.” Some Brazilian government officials viewed Durigan’s comment negatively, arguing that it played into Milei’s strategy and lowered the level of the dispute.

The timing of Bitelli’s return remains undecided. Brazil’s government is waiting to see whether Milei or other Argentine officials make additional statements before determining how long the ambassador will stay in Brasília.