In Interview, Presidential Candidate Says PT Member Is ‘Communist’; Argentine ambassador to Brazil refutes statement
Argentine presidential candidate Javier Milei said on Wednesday (November 8, 2023) that he would not meet with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) if elected. The libertarian, who has the support of former President Jair Bolsonaro (PL) in his presidential campaign, described the PT member as “communist” and “corrupt”. The information comes from Clarin.
In an interview with Peruvian journalist Jaime Bayly, Milei also said that if elected, he would withdraw Argentine ambassadors from countries that are “dictatorships” such as Venezuela, Cuba, Nicaragua, North Korea and Iran, and condemn the “terrorism of.” Hamas and Hezbollah.”
He also mentioned that “autocrats” should also be condemned, referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin. “I was the first to defend the Ukrainian government and the first to defend Israel from the violent and cruel attacks of Hamas,” he said.
Regarding Lula, the Argentine described the Brazilian president as “communist” and “corrupt” and explained that “that’s why he was in prison.” He said that when he reached Casa Rosada, his “allies” would be the United States, Israel and “the free world.”
Following the presidential candidate’s statements this Wednesday (November 8), the Argentine ambassador to Brazil, Daniel Scioli, said that Lula is “neither communist nor corrupt.”
“I already experienced something similar with Bolsonaro in government when he wanted to leave Mercosur, and now we are again faced with a statement that is completely strange because Lula is neither communist nor corrupt,” Scioli said in an interview with C5N.
The Argentine ambassador explained that regarding the corruption allegation, “it was rejected by the Supreme Court of Brazil, which found that the judiciary was used for political purposes and acquitted him.”
On November 2 (November 6), Milei explained in an interview with the broadcaster La Nación+ that the head of the Brazilian executive branch was “interfering” in the campaign and “financing” part of it. However, this Wednesday (November 8), Guillermo Francos, the main coordinator of the Argentine presidential candidate’s election campaign, said he was not aware of any possible interference by the PT member in the Argentine election campaign.
The libertarian will face current Argentine Economy Minister Sergio Massa in the second round of presidential elections on November 19. The Peronist was ahead in the first round of voting on October 22nd with 36.68% of the valid votes, compared to 29.98% for Milei.