Milei praises Flávio Bolsonaro and calls Lula a communist
Javier Milei, Argentina's president, posted a message of support for Flávio Bolsonaro after the first round of Brazil's presidential election. The Argentine called Lula a communist and advocated for partnership between the countries. With 99.75% of the votes counted, Flávio has 47.08% of the votes, against 45.10% for Lula.
The President of Argentina, Javier Milei, published on Sunday (4), on the social network X, an effusive message of support for Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, candidate of Partido Liberal (PL) to the Presidency, after the result of the first round of the election. In the publication, the Argentine said that Bolsonaro won a "historic election" against the current president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, whom he called a "communist".
The Milei demonstration immediately resonated on social media and in the international press, rekindling the debate on the relationship between the two neighboring countries. The effusive tone of the message contrasts with traditional diplomacy between heads of state, but is aligned with the direct and controversial style that has characterized the Argentine leader since the election campaign.
Milei's message highlights friendship and ideology
"Congratulations, dear friend Flávio Bolsonaro, on this historic election before the communist Lula," Milei wrote, classifying the son of former president Jair Bolsonaro as a "local phenomenon." The choice of words reinforces the ideological affinity between the Argentine and the Bolsonaro family, already manifested on other occasions.
Afterwards, the Argentine leader declared that “the American continent belongs to citizens who want to live in freedom” and advocated a rapprochement between the two countries. The speech refers to the liberal and anti-statist discourse that Milei has taken to international forums such as the World Economic Forum and the UN General Assembly.
Experts on international relations heard by the report assess that the declaration can have a symbolic impact, but it will hardly change the course of the Brazilian election. The source did not detail whether there was direct contact between the two politicians after the publication.
Trade and policy partnership in focus
I hope that soon we can start working together so that Argentina and Brazil continue to be great commercial, cultural and political partners. The opportunities for our nations, working together, are endless,” Milei said. The mention of the trade partnership comes at a time of tension in the economic relations between the two countries, with tariff disputes and exchange rate devaluation in Argentina.
Brazil is the main destination of Argentine exports of manufactured goods and the third largest trading partner of the neighboring country. An eventual victory of Flávio Bolsonaro in the second round could, in the view of analysts, unlock bilateral agreements now paralyzed. On the other hand, keeping Lula in office would tend to maintain the current diplomatic distancing, since the two presidents never met officially.
Finally, Milei concluded the message with one of his best-known political expressions: “Long live freedom.” The stick, used in rallies and speeches, became the Argentine’s trademark and was repeated by Brazilian supporters on social networks after the publication.
Numbers of the first round and scenario for the second
With 99.75% of the ballots counted, Flavio has 47.08% of the votes, against 45.10% of Lula. The two are separated by about 2.4 million votes and will face off in the second round on October 25 to define Brazil’s next president. The difference is the smallest ever recorded in a presidential election since redemocratization, according to data from the Superior Electoral Court (TSE).
The result surprised research institutes, which projected a greater advantage for Lula on the eve of the vote. Abstention was 21%, above the historical average, and white and null votes totaled 5.8%. The source did not detail the performance of the other candidates, but indicated that no other reached two digits.
The Flávio Bolsonaro campaign celebrated the result as a turnaround, while Lula’s team downplayed the difference and promised to intensify the street agenda in the coming weeks. The second round will be on October 25, and the expectation is of a fierce dispute, with a focus on São Paulo, Minas Gerais and the Northeast.
Repercussions and next steps
The Milei declaration generated immediate reactions in the Brazilian Congress. Parliamentarians from the government base criticized what they called "undue interference" and asked for an official note from Itamaraty. The opposition used the message to reinforce the discourse of international alignment with right-wing leaders.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it was monitoring the case but will not comment on statements by foreign heads of state during the election period. The source did not detail whether there will be any kind of formal reprimand.
For the Brazilian voter, the Argentine president’s demonstration can influence the perception about the foreign policy of each candidate. While Flávio Bolsonaro promises to resume rapprochement with liberal countries, Lula advocates regional integration through blocks such as Mercosur and Celac.
The Boca no Trombone portal will continue to monitor the unfolding of the presidential election and international reactions to the elections. Follow our upcoming reports on the second round, scenario analyses and full coverage of the election campaign.
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