MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Milei attends conservative gathering with the Bolsonaros

The Argentine president is due back in his country Monday, thus skipping the Mercosur Summit in Asunción

Instead of attending Monday's Mercosur Summit in Asunción, Argentine President Javier Milei chose to spend the weekend in southern Brazil with his friends the Bolsonaros, including the former head of state Jair, with whom he watched their national team eliminated from the Copa America by Uruguay on penalties on Saturday.

 The following day, Milei gave a speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) under close scrutiny from the government of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who was prepared to recall its ambassador from Buenos Aires had the Libertarian leader made any additional derogatory remark. Instead, Milei just chose to target once again Bolivia's Luis Arce Catacora for staging -in Milei's view- the unsuccessful June 26 military uprising in La Paz. Brazil and Argentina last lowered their mutual diplomatic missions to chargés d'affairs level in 1906 over border disputes.

“Look at the judicial persecution suffered by our friend Jair Bolsonaro, in Brazil, and look at what is happening in Bolivia right now: they are willing to stage a fake coup d'état in order to score a few more points in an election,” said Milei, who has already triggered diplomatic tension with Brasilia, Madrid and La Paz for his vociferous attitude.

The CPAC Brasil 2024 was a major conservative political conference in Santa Catarina’s Balneário Camboriú, through which the rightwing movement seeks to return to power in the 2026 elections, although Jair Bolsonaro has been disenfranchised by the Superior Electoral Court (TSE).

CPAC founder Eduardo Bolsonaro insisted his political group would win back the presidency while former First Lady Michelle Bolsonaro underlined her husband's promoting pro women legislation.

Admitting his inability to run, Jair Bolsonaro hinted Sao Paulo Governor Tarcísio de Freitas could pick up the baton, although the latter avoided confirming his candidacy. De Freitas and fellow Santa Catarina Governor Jorginho Mello also met with Milei, who was escorted by Presidential Secretary and sister Karina Milei, Defense Minister Luis Petri, and Presidential Spokesman Manuel Adorni.

“We talked about the importance of facilitating trade,” Adorni told reporters. In addition, “Milei was expressed support for the changes he is carrying out in Argentina,” he added. Milei's agenda also included meetings with businessmen from Santa Catarina's Federation of Industries.

The Argentine leader was due back in his country Monday for a vigil ahead of the July 9 Independence Day celebrations featuring a military parade along Buenos Aires' Libertador Avenue.