MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Milei welcomes Boris Johnson at Casa Rosada

The main topic of their encounter was reportedly a meeting between Milei and Mick Jagger. The Falklands/Malvinas case was never discussed

Argentine President Javier Milei Monday welcomed former UK Primer Minister Boris Johnson at Casa Rosada, after which the South American leader announced he would travel to England for a meeting with musician Mick Jagger at a date yet to be determined. Milei had already discussed rock with another exPM - Lord David Cameron - whom he met as Foreign Secretary.

During Monday's encounter, Johnson gave Milei a copy of his latest book, in which he confesses to having evaluated “a water raid” in the Netherlands to steal doses of AstraZeneca's coronavirus vaccines. Johnson's book went on sale in Great Britain last Thursday and will be available in the rest of the world in the coming weeks.

After a meeting lasting more than an hour, Johnson appeared on the Casa Rosada balcony to greet bypassers.

During their encounter, Milei recalled his teenage years' band in which he sang cover versions of Rolling Stones songs, impersonating Jagger both in voice and dancing. At the same time, the Malvinas issue was never addressed, according to Casa Rosada sources.

Llegó Boris Johnson a Casa Rosada para reunirse con Milei! pic.twitter.com/filBEDwOby

— El Trumpista (@ElTrumpista) October 14, 2024

Johnson's presence sparked further controversy from nationalist groups who oppose the Libertarian administration's rapprochement to the Falkland Islanders.

The former Conservative Party leader was next bound for Chile to participate in the XII Picton - El Mercurio Seminar on Oct. 17 in Santiago, where he will be interviewed by David Gallagher and lawyer Gerardo Varela.

Johnson stepped down in 2022 amid a scandal involving gatherings at Downing Street during the Covid 19 lockdowns. In mid-2023, the House of Commons passed a report stating that Johnson in had “deliberately” lied to the British Parliament.

Argentine authorities also confirmed Monday that Milei would be traveling to the G20 Summit in Rio on Nov. 18 and 19, during which he is expected to meet with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, which whom he does not see eye-to-eye given the derogatory remarks by the Libertarian leader during the 2023 presidential campaign.

Miei's trip would signal a change in regional diplomacy after he skipped the last Mercosur Summit to dodge a face-to-face encounter with Lula.