President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said Wednesday he would not speak to his Argentine counterpart Javier Milei until he apologized for the “nonsense” he had spoken about Brazil.
The outspoken Milei has lashed out at numerous leftist leaders since taking office in December, insulting the Spanish prime minister and the presidents of Colombia, Venezuela, Mexico and Brazil.
Lula did not say which comments he was referring to, but Milei branded him “corrupt” and a “communist” during his fiery election campaign.
“I have not spoken with the president of Argentina because I think he must apologize to Brazil and to me. He has spoken a lot of nonsense,” Lula said in an interview with local media.
Milei has forged closer ties with far-right former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro, whom he invited to his inauguration.
Milei has most recently come under the spotlight for his repeated attacks on Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who he said had a “corrupt wife,” prompting Madrid to withdraw its ambassador to Buenos Aires.
In March, Lula said that the extreme right was a threat to global democracy, citing Milei as an example.