Brazil summoned Argentina’s chargé d’affaires over Flavio Bolsonaro’s route to the United States, Reuters reported, adding a new diplomatic flashpoint between two governments whose presidents have clashed repeatedly.
Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs called in Maria Emilia Cortes, Argentina’s chargé d’affaires in Brazil, on Thursday, Reuters reported, citing Brazilian government sources. Writing on social media, Argentine Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno said his government had not received an official request to account for Bolsonaro’s late-Tuesday entry into Argentina.
Bolsonaro, his wife and their two daughters traveled through northern Argentina before taking a chartered aircraft through Ecuador to the United States, Al Jazeera reported. Bolsonaro arrived in Miami on Wednesday, the report said.
Brazilian authorities ordered Bolsonaro to stay in Brazil during a legal case and set a deadline after Sunday’s election for him to surrender his passports. Investigators are examining a multimillion-dollar payment by Daniel Vorcaro, Banco Master’s former chief, that they suspect was meant to pay for a film about Bolsonaro’s father, former President Jair Bolsonaro. Flavio Bolsonaro denies wrongdoing and has called the case politically motivated.
Al Jazeera reported that Bolsonaro was the right-wing candidate for his father’s Liberal Party movement and lost Sunday’s election by more than 4 million votes. He has refused to concede, while the Liberal Party has recognized Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s win. Bolsonaro has also alleged electoral irregularities without providing evidence, according to Al Jazeera.
The trip could add to tensions between Lula and Argentine President Javier Milei, Al Jazeera reported. Relations have been strained since Milei took office in 2023. Al Jazeera said both governments withdrew their ambassadors in August following a series of public disputes.
EconoTimes previously reported pressure on Milei’s government over Bolsonaro’s transit through Argentina.
