Brazil’s foreign ministry on Tuesday accused Argentine President Milei of a “new and unacceptable attempt at external interference in the Brazilian democratic process,” five days before Brazil’s presidential runoff, after Milei suggested on X that President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva might steal the election.
The ministry’s statement, titled “New offenses by the President of Argentina,” said his offenses against Brazil, “directed at the Judiciary and the electronic voting system,” constitute “a new and unacceptable attempt at external interference in the Brazilian democratic process.” It said the Argentine president “repeats lies spread by those who lost the elections” and by those behind a failed coup four years ago, and called the remarks “anti-democratic, unacceptable, unbalanced” and unfitting for “the head of state of a friendly country.”
Milei’s post went up at about 8:50 a.m. Buenos Aires time on Tuesday, over a clip of an interview Lula gave to the broadcaster SBT. Milei wrote that progressives accuse all their opponents of being misogynists, that “the mask is falling” on “these criminals,” and: “I hope their latest dirty campaign trick doesn’t include stealing the election... leftist thief.” Late on Monday he had also reposted a clip from Sunday’s debate between Lula and his challenger, Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, calling Lula an authoritarian.
LOS PROGRES MACHIRULOS... Después andan acusan de misóginos a todos sus oponentes... se les está cayendo la careta a estos delincuentes... Espero que su último truco de campaña sucia no incluya robarse la elección... zurdo ladrón. VLLC!
Translation: "THE MACHO PROGRESSIVES... Then they go around accusing all their opponents of being misogynists... the mask is falling on these criminals... I hope their latest dirty campaign trick doesn't include stealing the election... leftist thief. Long live freedom, damn it!"
The ministry defended Brazil’s voting system. “The Brazilian electronic voting system is proven secure, has never recorded irregularities and election observers from around the world already confirmed this in the first round,” it said. “The decision on Brazil’s future belongs exclusively to the Brazilian people, who will express themselves freely at the polls, without any kind of external interference, on Sunday the 25th.”
Milei backs Bolsonaro, the son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, who was convicted of attempting a coup after losing the 2022 election. Flávio Bolsonaro led the first round on Oct. 4 with 47.03% of valid votes against Lula’s 45.16%, and polls show a near tie. Brazil recalled its ambassador from Buenos Aires after Milei called Lula a thief in July at Bolsonaro’s campaign launch, and later downgraded relations. The Argentine government has not responded to the ministry’s statement.
Brazil is Argentina’s largest trading partner. Brazilians vote on Sunday, October 25.