Brazil recalls ambassador after Milei calls Lula a thief and convict
Brazil recalled its ambassador to Argentina, Julio Bitelli, after Argentine President Javier Milei called Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva a "thief" and a "convict" at a rally in São Paulo on Sunday, July 26, 2026, launching the presidential campaign of right‑wing candidate Flávio Bolsonaro. Milei also denounced Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes as "bald trash." Brazilian diplomats said the remarks insulted the government, people and democratic institutions. Lula replied that he would govern without foreign interference, noting that Brazil does not accept foreign meddling. Bitelli was scheduled to return to Brazil between Sunday and Monday following the dispute. Flávio Bolsonaro is the son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, who is serving a 27‑year sentence for plotting a coup after losing the 2022 election to Lula. Lula’s own 2018 corruption conviction was annulled by Brazil’s Supreme Court in 2021, clearing his return to power and victory in the 2022 election.
The diplomatic spat matters to Nigeria because Brazil is a key BRICS partner and a major destination for Nigerian students, traders and migrants; heightened tensions could affect trade flows, consular services and the perception of political stability in a fellow emerging market. It also mirrors the rise of confrontational populism seen in other regions.
Watch for any official statements from Brazil’s foreign ministry, monitor changes in visa or trade policies, and consider how the deepening divide between Brazil’s left and right might influence regional cooperation ahead of Brazil’s October presidential election.