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SAO PAULO/BRASILIA: Argentine president-elect Javier Milei‘s top foreign policy adviser had a meeting with Brazil‘s foreign relations minister on Sunday, in another sign the radical libertarian might keep softening his tone with many he had harshly criticized before.
Diana Mondino, widely expected to be named foreign minister by Milei, was in Brasilia to meet president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s foreign minister Mauro Vieira and invite the Brazilian leader to Milei‘s Dec.10 inauguration.
“My main message is that we are brotherly countries and will continue to be,” Mondino told reporters after the meeting.
She shrugged off Milei’s previous criticism of Lula, whom he dubbed an “angry communist” and “socialist with a totalitarian vocation” while suggesting he would balk at doing business with Brazil, his country’s top trade partner.
“We need to separate state, government and people. The partnership will continue,” said Mondino.
The new Argentine leader is closer politically and personally to former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and has invited him to his inauguration. Lula defeated Bolsonaro in elections last year.
According to Brazil’s government, Mondino invited Lula to Milei’s inauguration and also discussed with Vieira “aspects of the bilateral relationship and the current stage of Mercosur-EU negotiations”.
“I have no doubts that our relationship, which is very important, will remain that way,” Vieira said, adding he would brief Lula on Milei’s invitation. “Mondino showed us Argentina wants to continue having a high-level dialogue with Brazil.”
Last week, Milei also softened his tone with China’s communist leadership, thanking president Xi Jinping for a letter congratulating him. China is Argentina’s second-largest trade partner.
Milei meanwhile is set to travel to the US on Sunday, a spokesperson told Reuters, noting he would attend a religious ceremony in New York and have meetings in Washington.
Diana Mondino, widely expected to be named foreign minister by Milei, was in Brasilia to meet president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s foreign minister Mauro Vieira and invite the Brazilian leader to Milei‘s Dec.10 inauguration.
“My main message is that we are brotherly countries and will continue to be,” Mondino told reporters after the meeting.
She shrugged off Milei’s previous criticism of Lula, whom he dubbed an “angry communist” and “socialist with a totalitarian vocation” while suggesting he would balk at doing business with Brazil, his country’s top trade partner.
“We need to separate state, government and people. The partnership will continue,” said Mondino.
The new Argentine leader is closer politically and personally to former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and has invited him to his inauguration. Lula defeated Bolsonaro in elections last year.
According to Brazil’s government, Mondino invited Lula to Milei’s inauguration and also discussed with Vieira “aspects of the bilateral relationship and the current stage of Mercosur-EU negotiations”.
“I have no doubts that our relationship, which is very important, will remain that way,” Vieira said, adding he would brief Lula on Milei’s invitation. “Mondino showed us Argentina wants to continue having a high-level dialogue with Brazil.”
Last week, Milei also softened his tone with China’s communist leadership, thanking president Xi Jinping for a letter congratulating him. China is Argentina’s second-largest trade partner.
Milei meanwhile is set to travel to the US on Sunday, a spokesperson told Reuters, noting he would attend a religious ceremony in New York and have meetings in Washington.
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