Wednesday, August 5th 2026 - 21:55 UTC
Lula called the same day, in an interview with the Meteoro Brasil outlet, for setting aside ideological differences to strengthen Mercosur
Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira said on Wednesday that the downgrading of diplomatic relations with Argentina to chargé d'affaires level will remain in place until Argentine President Javier Milei stops what he called repeated insults and attacks against Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
“There were four consecutive statements in the space of a week in which the president of Argentina, in a very crude and very aggressive manner, criticized Brazil, its institutions and the person of President Lula in an unheard-of way,” Vieira told Radio Perfil. He added that Brasília had sought explanations and that, until they were satisfactory, it would keep its ambassador, Julio Glinternick Bitelli, away from Buenos Aires. The minister recalled that bilateral relations have been at their best since 1985 and said Lula is indifferent to the political stripe of any given government, because ideology is secondary to courtesy and respect.
Argentina's government ruled out an apology. “This is a unilateral decision by Brazil that we regret,” Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno told a news conference. “There have been statements on both sides that reflect political and ideological differences. Argentina chose not to carry them into the diplomatic arena,” he added, saying another path exists to preserve the relationship.
