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

President Javier Milei on Sunday renewed his attacks on Brazilian counterpart Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, describing the leftist leader as a "thief" and "corrupt" days after triggering a diplomatic row between the neighbouring countries.

"He's a thief, he's corrupt, he's been convicted of theft and corruption, he's been in prison, so it's true that we can call him a convict," Milei said in an interview with LN+ television.

"Did I lie?" Milei added when questioned about describing Lula as a "thief" during last weekend's event in São Paulo, where he endorsed the presidential candidacy of right-wing lawmaker Flávio Bolsonaro, son of former president Jair Bolsonaro.

The latest comments came a week after the head of state made similar remarks during the rally in Brazil. During the address, Milei also criticised Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes.

Brazil responded by recalling its ambassador to Argentina for consultations over what it described as Milei's "offensive remarks." It also summoned Argentina's ambassador in Brasília to express its "repudiation" and demand an explanation over Milei's attacks on Lula and De Moraes.

During the week, Argentine officials sought to lower the temperature. Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno said there was no possibility of a rupture in relations with Brazil, Argentina's largest trading partner. Presidential spokesperson Adrián Ravier also described the episode as stemming from "ideological and political differences."

Asked why he was so hostile towards Lula, Milei defended his comments. "Don't you think it's aggressive when someone steals from you? Calling a thief a 'thief' is far less serious than the act of stealing itself," he said.

"They released him because of an administrative error, not because he's innocent. Therefore, he's a thief and a corrupt official," the La Libertad Avanza leader added. "I'm doing this because I'm a champion of the ideals of freedom."

Lula, who served as Brazil's president from 2003 to 2010 before returning to office in 2023, spent 580 days in prison after being convicted in the sprawling Operation Car Wash corruption investigation.

His convictions were later annulled on procedural grounds after the Supreme Court ruled the court that tried the case lacked jurisdiction. The judge who oversaw the case, Sergio Moro, was subsequently ruled to have acted with bias.

The 80-year-old Lula on Sunday formally launched his bid for what he has said will be a fourth and final presidential term ahead of Brazil's October election.

Milei has not formally announced his own re-election campaign, but has increasingly adopted campaign rhetoric ahead of Argentina's October 2027 presidential election, repeatedly arguing during the interview that his only opponent is himself because of his government's record.

– TIMES/AFP