Argentina's Milei insults Brazil's Lula, sparking diplomatic row

In late July 2026, Argentine President Javier Milei insulted Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, calling him a 'thief' and 'convict' during an event in Brazil. The remarks broke diplomatic protocol and triggered a strong reaction from Brazil's government.

Brazil's foreign minister strongly criticized Milei, and Lula's economy minister called Milei a 'clown.' Lula himself dismissed the insults with irony, asking 'Who is that guy?' The Argentine government said it would not apologize. Meanwhile, a poll by BTG/Nexus showed Lula with 47% and Flávio Bolsonaro with 43% in a hypothetical second-round election matchup.