More than 36 hours after Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva defeated Flávio Bolsonaro in Brazil’s presidential runoff, Argentina’s government confirmed it would issue no comment on the election results.
“There will be no statement,” presidential spokesperson Adrián Ravier said Tuesday at a press conference at the Casa Rosada.
President Javier Milei thus remains one of the few leaders in the region, alongside El Salvador’s Nayib Bukele, not to officially recognize Lula’s victory.
Milei has maintained strained relations with the Brazilian leader since taking office in December 2023. As of Tuesday, neither country had an ambassador in the other’s capital. Diplomatic relations have been at the chargé d’affaires level since August 4, 2026.
It is worth noting that other right-wing political figures in the region have recognized Lula’s victory despite their ideological differences. Rodrigo Paz (Bolivia), José Antonio Kast (Chile), Abelardo de la Espriella (Colombia), and Keiko Fujimori (Peru) all posted congratulatory messages on their official accounts.
The Argentine government’s stance
“We take note of the election results in Brazil,” Ravier said, when asked about Argentina’s position on the runoff.
Asked about the government’s decision not to issue an official recognition or congratulatory message, Ravier argued that the stance on the issue is similar to the one Lula took when Milei was elected in November 2023.
“When Javier Milei was elected president, President Lula made no gesture to congratulate him personally or anything of the sort. At least for now, there is no statement we plan to issue.”
Lula, however, did issue a statement after the Argentine leader won the presidential runoff.
“Democracy is the voice of the people, and it must always be respected. My congratulations to Argentina’s institutions for conducting the electoral process and to the Argentine people, who took part in the election in an orderly and peaceful manner,” he tweeted on November 19, 2023.
Lula then wished “good luck and success to the new government,” without mentioning Milei by name, adding, “Argentina is a great country and deserves all our respect. Brazil will always be ready to work together with our Argentine brothers and sisters.”
With information from Ambito
La entrada Government confirms Milei will not congratulate Lula on victory se publicó primero en Buenos Aires Herald.