MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Milei and Villarruel together at event marking anniversary of Israeli Embassy bombing

Milei gave no speech during the event

President Javier Milei and Vice President Victoria Villarruel were seen together Monday at the ceremony marking the 32nd anniversary of the bombing of the Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires after they were reported to be at odds following the Senate's rejection of the head of state's most-encompassing emergency decree (DNU) 70/2023 last week. They reportedly held a confidential meeting at Olivos Residence to lower tensions.

Milei's presence at the event was also a new sign of his alliance with Israel. He was the first president in more than two decades to participate in this yearly commemoration of the 29 dead, 22 of whom were identified, and more than 200 injured, as a result of the terrorist attack staged on March 17, 1992. The last one had been Fernando De la Rúa (1999-2001). No one has been arrested or convicted for the attack.

During the ceremony, Israeli Ambassador Eyal Sela said that “every Israeli diplomat feels that these scarred walls could have been his offices.”

“It has been 32 years since Hezbollah wiped out this building and sowed terror, two years later, Iran came back to plan another bombing that ended with the AMIA,” he added.

“Only a few months ago, Hamas entered Israel and rewrote in blood the history of dozens of Argentines who were murdered or kidnapped. The Cuneo and Vivas families, [were made] hostages of Hamas. Argentines and Israelis were once again united in this pain,” he went on.

”We are not alone, and President Milei -¬a Catholic who is in the process of converting to Judaism- expressed it months ago when leaving Yad Vashem (Holocaust Museum). We must know how to be on the right side of history. Thank you, Mr. President,” he concluded.

Milei traveled to Israel last month. He visited holy sites such as the Wailing Wall and the Kibbutz Nir Oz, one of the places hit by the terrorist group Hamas on Oct. 7. He also announced Argentina would shift its Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, which is yet to happen.