Argentine opposition lawmakers to travel to Brasilia to repair relations
A delegation of lawmakers and senators from Argentina’s opposition parties will travel to Brasilia next Wednesday to try to repair bilateral relations with Brazil. The parliamentarians plan to meet with Brazil’s Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, the Foreign Ministry and representatives of the presidential administration, MercoPress reports.
Parliamentary diplomacy
Nicolás Massot, a lawmaker from the Encuentro Federal bloc, said in the Chamber of Deputies that the visit would take place as part of parliamentary diplomacy. He called the deterioration of relations with Argentina’s main trading partner irresponsible and stressed the importance of the 40-year strategic ties between the countries.
According to Massot, the functioning of MERCOSUR and Brazil’s support for Argentina’s sovereignty claim over the Falkland Islands are important for Argentina. The final composition of the delegation has not yet been formed. The organizers expect representatives of the Radical Civic Union, the Socialist Party, the Civic Coalition and the Justicialist Party to take part. They expect the participants to represent about 60% of the parties holding seats in parliament.
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Vote and diplomatic tensions
On the same day, the Chamber of Deputies considered a draft declaration condemning the insults and reaffirming the strategic nature of relations between Argentina and Brazil. The document also called for Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno to be heard in Congress. It was supported by 128 lawmakers, while 108 voted against and nine abstained. Since the matter had not been placed on the agenda, the votes of two-thirds of those present were required for adoption, so the document was not approved despite a simple majority.
Tensions escalated after Argentine President Javier Milei attended an event in São Paulo on July 25, where Flávio Bolsonaro was proclaimed the Liberal Party’s candidate in the presidential election. There, Milei made insulting remarks about Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and a justice of Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court. On July 26, Brasilia recalled its ambassador from Buenos Aires for consultations, and on August 4 downgraded diplomatic relations to the level of chargés d’affaires and requested the return of the Argentine ambassador, who has still not resumed his duties. Argentina’s government did not comment on the parliamentary initiative.
