One of Brazil’s main trading partners, Argentina will have a new president elected this Sunday (19). Two opposing country projects are in dispute, one that remains on the left and the other that goes to the extreme right. The result should directly affect the institutional relationship with the Brazilian government.
On the one hand, government leader Sergio Massa (Unión por la Patria) — nominated by the president’s friend Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and current president of Argentina, Alberto Fernández, and by his vice-president, Cristina Kirchner — proposes maintaining and strengthening the relationship with the Brazilians and other South American countries
“Argentina and Brazil are inseparable partners from a commercial and cultural point of view (…) Brotherhood and joint work between our countries is what strengthens us the most,” said Massa, who is Argentina’s economy minister, when meeting with Lula and Fernando Haddad on August 28 to discuss the country’s entry into Brics.
On the other side, Javier Milei (La Libertad Avanza) — an outsider who criticizes the Argentine “political caste” — has disruptive proposals, such as closing the country’s central bank and dollarizing the economy. For him, Argentina must leave Mercosur and increasingly align itself with the United States.
Milei, unlike Lula and his opponent, does not wish to strengthen relations with South American countries, especially those governed by left-wing leaders. He has even made several statements against Lula, calling him corrupt, communist and “red caste”.
“Alberto Fernández’s government did not speak to Bolsonaro. What’s the problem with whether I talk to Lula or not?”, asked Milei in the last electoral debate, on Sunday (12).
Lula should call Massa if he is victorious at the polls and attend his inauguration on December 10. If Milei wins, there should be no phone call or prestige at the inauguration, but just an institutional note from the Brazilian government. The information was verified by Raquel Landim, anchor of CNN .
Last Tuesday (14), Lula stated that Argentina needs a president who “likes democracy”.
“Remember that Brazil needs Argentina and that Argentina needs Brazil, the jobs that Brazil generates in Argentina and the jobs that Argentina generates in Brazil, the trade flow between the two countries and how much we can grow together”, said Lula.
“For this, we need to have a president who likes democracy, who respects institutions, who likes Mercosur, who likes South America”, he added.
The PT published an institutional note on the 5th of this month declaring support for Massa and saying that Argentine democracy could be at stake if Milei wins.
Similarities and differences with Brazilian polarization
As Lula did in his electoral campaign against former president Jair Bolsonaro (PL), in 2022, Massa bet on a speech against weapons in Argentina. He also deepened the propaganda that encourages fear against Milei in the final stretch.
Despite the opposition to Lula and Mercosur, Milei, in turn, used the same motto — saying that hope will overcome fear — and the Brazilian president’s strategy in the final turn of the election.
On the last day of the campaign, Milei promised that he will not privatize health and education in Argentina. Despite this, he spent the entire campaign, since before the primaries, declaring his intention to privatize as many public companies as possible and remove State interference, letting the market regulate the economy.
Source: CNN Brasil
Bruce Belcher is a seasoned author with over 5 years of experience in world news. He writes for online news websites and provides in-depth analysis on the world stock market. Bruce is known for his insightful perspectives and commitment to keeping the public informed.
