President Javier Milei is once again playing hard in the region and does not flinch in confronting Lula. He confirmed that on July 25 he will travel to Brazil to support the candidacy of Flavio Bolsonaro, son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, at an event in São Paulo. But he does not stop there: he also plans to meet with Jair Bolsonaro himself in Brasília. A move that strains bilateral relations with the government of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva to the limit.
Milei, in a conversation with radio NOW 97.9 FM, detailed that his visit to Brazil is just the first step of an international agenda packed with commitments to continental right-wing figures. The schedule includes attending the inauguration of Keiko Fujimori in Peru on July 28, and on August 7 he will do the same in Colombia for the swearing-in of Abelardo de la Espriella, a trip in which he also plans a meeting with Ecuadorian Daniel Noboa. A tour that makes clear his alliance with the most conservative sectors of the region.
But Milei does not neglect the local agenda. On July 26, one day after his event in São Paulo, he will again attend the 2026 Rural Exhibition in the Buenos Aires neighborhood of Palermo. Since arriving at the Casa Rosada, the President regularly participates in the annual fair, where he usually receives strong support from producers and sector leaders. A gesture that seeks to consolidate his support base in the countryside, while stirring the waters on the international stage.
The decision to travel to Brazil to support the Bolsonaros is no coincidence. Milei had already shown his affinity with the former Brazilian president, and now takes a step further by openly supporting his son’s candidacy. This occurs at a time when relations with Lula were already strained due to the Argentine president’s constant criticism of the Brazilian government. With this move, Milei deepens the rift and positions himself as a key ally of the far-right in South America.
Meanwhile, in Brazil, the figure of Flavio Bolsonaro generates controversy. The former president’s son is under investigation for alleged corruption and money laundering, but Milei seems to have no qualms about supporting him. The event in São Paulo will be a show of strength for the Brazilian right, which seeks to regain power after Jair Bolsonaro’s defeat in 2022. The presence of the Argentine president gives international backing to that candidacy.
Milei’s agenda does not stop there. In Peru, he will attend the inauguration of Keiko Fujimori, another controversial figure of the Latin American right. Keiko, daughter of former President Alberto Fujimori, has been investigated for alleged ties to drug trafficking and money laundering, but Milei does not hesitate to show his support. In Colombia, he will do the same with Abelardo de la Espriella, a conservative politician who will assume the presidency amid a political crisis.
The trip to Ecuador to meet with Daniel Noboa is also significant. Noboa, a businessman and right-wing politician, assumed the presidency in 2023 and has faced a wave of violence in his country. Milei seeks to strengthen ties with these leaders, in an attempt to build a regional bloc that counteracts the influence of progressive governments.
Meanwhile, in Argentina, the opposition criticizes Milei’s decision to prioritize his international alliances over the domestic agenda. The country is going through an economic crisis with high inflation and poverty, and many believe the President should focus on solving local problems before embarking on political tours. However, Milei seems determined to make his international mark, even at the cost of straining relations with Brazil, Argentina’s main trading partner.
The 2026 Rural Exhibition will be a pause in his international agenda, but also an opportunity to show his support for the countryside, a key sector for the Argentine economy. There, Milei is usually received enthusiastically by producers, who see him as an ally against the interventionist policies of Kirchnerism. However, the economic crisis also hits the sector, and many expect concrete measures rather than symbolic gestures.
In short, Milei is betting big on the regional far-right, but the cost of that bet could be high. The relationship with Brazil, a key trading partner, is at stake, and the internal opposition does not miss an opportunity to criticize his management. Time will tell whether this strategy yields fruits or isolates him further on the international stage.
para mi milei se va a brasil a chuparle la pija a bolsonaro el facho de mierda mientras lula debe estar re caliente yo creo que estos gorilas neoliberaloides son todos unos hdp ojala se pudran 🖕
Para mí, Milei hace bien en apuntalar a Bolsonaro, Lula es un zurdo de mierda que nos quiere arruinar. Yo creo que la alianza con la ultraderecha es la única salida, los kukas lloran pero se tienen que callar. Argentina y Brasil unidos contra el comunismo, carajo!