Milei doubles down on calling Brazil's Lula a 'thief'

President Javier Milei has once again accused Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of being a "thief" and "corrupt" in a recent interview. Milei claimed that Lula has been convicted of theft and corruption, and has even been in prison, making it justified to refer to him as a convict. This latest statement came after Milei endorsed the presidential candidacy of Flávio Bolsonaro, son of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, during a rally in São Paulo.

The Argentine leader's remarks prompted Brazil to recall its ambassador to Argentina for consultations, expressing strong repudiation of the comments. Brazil also summoned Argentina's ambassador in Brasília to demand an explanation and clarify the context of Milei's attacks on both Lula and Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes.

In response, Argentine officials sought to de-escalate tensions. Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno affirmed that there was no intention of severing relations between the two neighboring countries, which are major trading partners. Presidential spokesperson Adrián Ravier described the controversy as stemming from ideological and political differences.

Milei defended his accusations, stating that calling someone a thief is less severe than the act of theft itself. He argued that Lula was released from prison due to an administrative error, not because he is innocent. Milei emphasized that his actions are driven by a commitment to freedom and democracy. Lula, who served as Brazil's president from 2003 to 2010 and again from 2023, spent 580 days in prison after being convicted in the Operation Car Wash corruption investigation, a case later declared invalid due to procedural issues.