MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Presidents Orsi and Milei should meet in early July, Argentine ambassador says

Orsi and Milei have never met since the latter's March 1 inauguration

Argentina's Ambassador to Uruguay, Alan Beraud, announced that Presidents Yamandú Orsi of Uruguay and Javier Milei of Argentina will meet at a Mercosur summit in Buenos Aires on July 3, 2025, during the transfer of the Southern Common Market's (Mercosur) Pro Tempore Presidency.

The diplomat also highlighted strong Mercosur cooperation, with recent foreign minister meetings and progress on a trade agreement with the European Union (EU), aimed at boosting trade and investment. The agreement is in the approval phase, with a European Parliament delegation visiting the region. Beraud emphasized facilitating cross-border movement, trade, and Argentine investments in Uruguay, alongside Mercosur’s efforts to expand markets, including with EFTA and the UAE.

Beraud also referred to the agreement between Mercosur and the European Union, for which “final technical issues” are being worked on. “The idea is more trade, more investments, that is the way,” said the diplomat. To this end, a delegation from the European Parliament is in the region, “linked to the subsequent process of approval of the agreement, which has several stages to be implemented. One of them is to go through the European Parliament.” Regarding the relationship between the different Mercosur countries, Beraud pointed out that “they work very well”.
“There has been an event that was not usual, which is the meeting of foreign ministers. There were two in a very short time, which shows that the machinery is oiled and working,” Beraud also explained.

He also pointed out that his office was working closely with the government of Yamandú Orsi as the modernization and expansion of Mercosur were on the agenda. He insisted that the Mercosur agenda was common to all member countries: modernization and expansion of the external market to the bloc. “We are working to obtain more markets abroad, which will be beneficial for the four Mercosur member states”, he said.

July's gathering would be the first meeting between Orsi and Milei after the Argentine leader skipped his March 1 inauguration because of the opening of the 2025 Legislature. “A summit of presidents is scheduled to take place in the first days of July in Buenos Aires as part of Mercosur activities,” Beraud said. On the occasion, Argentina is to pass on the Pro Tempore Presidency of Mercosur to Brazil. Milei and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva do not see eye to eye.

Last month, Uruguayan Foreign Minister Mario Lubetkin met with Milei and Lula da Silva, as well as with Foreign Ministers Gerardo Werthein (Argentina) and Mauro Vieira (Brazil), during Pope Francis' funeral in Rome. Lubetkin described his meeting with the Libertarian leader as “interesting.”