MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Milei not attending Mercosur Summit to dodge Lula faceoff

Milei insisted he would not recant on his derogatory remarks against Lula out of sheer political correctness

Argentine President Javier Milei will not be traveling to Asunción for the upcoming Mercosur Summit in the Paraguayan capital on July 8 in a move to avoid meeting face-to-face with his Brazilian colleague Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, whom he dubbed a “corrupt Communist” during his campaign last year and who insists an apology is in order. Last week the Argentine leader claimed there was nothing to be sorry for and that he would not go back on telling the truth. Foreign Minister Diana Mondino will represent Milei at the regional bloc's gathering.

“The things I said above are true. What are the problems? Did I say he was corrupt? And wasn't he imprisoned for corruption? And what did I say, communist? And isn't he a communist? Since when do we have to ask for forgiveness for telling the truth? Or are we so sick of political correctness that we cannot say anything to the left, even when it is true?” Milei argued.

The Argentine President will be sending a bill to Congress shortly whereby the minimum age for offenders to be tried as adults will be lowered to 13 years. “If he has the conscience to commit a crime as an adult, why shouldn't he pay as an adult? The one who does it pays for it,” Milei told TN this weekend. “If you make crime less profitable for them, they commit less crime, and we are working very actively on that and it is working. In Rosario, crime has dropped by 70%,” Milei elaborated.

In addition, Milei announced that “there will be no more cabinet changes” because “I am happy with my team.” But while no Minister will be leaving, one will soon be arriving when Presidential Advisor Federico Sturzenegger is sworn in as head of a Ministry yet to be named.

The Libertarian administration has also been reported to be considering amendments to the electoral law including the elimination of the Mandatory Simultaneous and Open Primaries (PASO) elections, in addition to modifications to the ballots and a possible lowering of the voting age to 13, which was still “under consideration” according to Casa Rosada sources.

These changes need to be approved by December this year if they are to be applied to the 2025 mid-term elections, it was also explained in Buenos Aires.