Argentine President Javier Milei Skips Mercosur Summit, Snubs Lula

Argentine President Javier Milei will not attend the Mercosur summit in Paraguay this week. Instead, he will travel to Brazil but won't meet President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, possibly meeting former President Jair Bolsonaro. Milei criticized Lula during his campaign, calling him a 'communist' and 'corrupt.'

Argentine President Javier Milei will not attend a summit of the South American regional trade bloc Mercosur set to take place this week in Paraguay, his spokesperson said, adding that while he will travel to Brazil he will not meet his counterpart there.

The right-wing libertarian president will be traveling to neighboring Brazil this weekend, Milei's spokesman Manuel Adorni said Monday, but said he will not meet President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva but may meet former president Jair Bolsonaro. Right-wing libertarian Milei, an ally of far-right former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, attacked Lula several times during his successful presidential campaign last year, dubbing him an "angry communist" and "corrupt."

Lula said last week

that he and Milei have not met yet, and that he expects an apology first.