Brazil fears that Milei may become a headache at the G20 summit and, after meeting with Trump, might make overtures to Bolsonaro

Agenda of Argentine president, arriving in Rio on Sunday afternoon, remains tightly guarded, as does his hotel location Even before the arrival of Argentina's President Javier Milei in Rio, scheduled for Sunday afternoon, tensions between the Casa Rosada and the Brazilian government have escalated in the final stretch of negotiations for the declaration to be announced by leaders at the G20 summit next week. Amid rumors of potential contacts between Milei and former President Jair Bolsonaro, fueled by the Argentine leader's lightning visit to the United States where he dined with President-elect Donald Trump, the Argentine delegation, according to Brazilian government sources, attempted to block a mention in the document of a key initiative for Brazil's G20 presidency: taxing the ultra-wealthy. There is growing concern that Milei's presence, who also announced plans to negotiate a free trade agreement with the U.S., which would violate Mercosur rules, could become a major headache for Brazil's Lula. The concerns intensified following Milei's meeting with Trump on Thursday at Mar-a-Lago, and coincidentally or not, the shift in stance of Argentine negotiators already in Rio. In addition to Trump and several of his future officials, Elon Musk, who has always opposed taxing the wealthy, attended the luxury dinner in Florida. According to Brazilian government sources, "the change in the Argentine position is clearly a political maneuver and an attack on an agenda that counters the economic interests of Milei's allies." G20 in Rio: See how traffic and commerce will be during the mega-holiday in the capital Fun in Rio: 20 paired activities for the G20 holiday weekend in Rio de Janeiro Secret agenda Milei's agenda during his 48-hour stay in Rio is kept under wraps. Even the country's diplomatic representatives in Brazil have yet to learn where he will be staying or whom he will meet. The Argentine president will arrive with a small entourage, including his sister, Karina Milei, the Secretary-General of the Presidency, spokesperson Manuel Adorni, the new Foreign Minister Gerardo Whertein, and Economy Minister Luis Caputo. Brazilian officials, according to sources, fear that Milei, arriving on a chartered plane, might make overtures to Bolsonaro during his visit. On Brazil's side, sources added, the decision is to continue showing gestures that reflect Lula's interest in maintaining state relations. The latest such gesture was the summoning of the new Argentine ambassador in Brasília, Daniel Raimondi, to present his credentials to Lula last Thursday. Raimondi has been in Brazil since June, but only now, on the eve of the G20 summit, was he called for a ceremony which, in diplomatic terms, holds significant meaning. Until ambassadors present their credentials to the president, they cannot, for instance, be invited to events attended by the head of state. This rule is not always strictly adhered to, but the presentation of credentials is a final green light from the local government to a foreign ambassador. For this reason, it is often used by governments to express displeasure. The decision to summon Raimondi — with little notice — confirms, according to official sources, that "Lula wants to continue showing willingness to work with Milei's Argentina, despite their known ideological differences." The reception for the new ambassador, according to both Brazilian and Argentine sources, was cordial. In a brief conversation, Lula emphasized the need for dialogue between the two countries and his willingness to continue promoting "state relations." Behind the scenes at G20: Argentina seeks to block mention of tax on the super-rich in leaders’ statement It's clear that the Brazilian president is not interested in seeking rapprochement with Milei, and the sentiment is mutual. Sources from Lula's administration confirmed that the president did not request, nor will he request, a bilateral meeting with the Argentine leader. Milei has not sought one either, and according to Argentine sources, meeting with Lula during the G20 summit is not on his agenda. In essence, the presidents of the two most significant Mercosur and South American countries intend to mutually ignore each other during the two-day meetings in Rio, except for the unavoidable moment of Milei's arrival at the Museum of Modern Art (MAM) on Monday morning, where Lula will greet all the presidents. According to Argentine sources, Milei might have other bilateral meetings in Rio, yet to be confirmed. Before reaching Brazil, the Argentine president will meet French President Emmanuel Macron in Buenos Aires. Following his return to Argentina on the afternoon of the 19th, an official visit from Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, with whom Milei shares a strong connection, is scheduled. Visit to Mar-a-Lago The Argentine president will arrive in Rio on Sunday following an intense and highly publicized visit to the United States, where he attended a gala hosted by the America First Policy Institute at the Republican's private residence in Palm Beach. At the event, Milei posed for photos with Trump and Musk, and according to the Argentine leader himself, he was referred to as "my favorite president" by the next U.S. leader. The images of the meeting were shared by the Argentine leader and several cabinet members on social media, set to the tune of YMCA by the Village People, a song frequently used by Trump in his campaign. The gathering was marked by effusive exchanges of praise between Milei and Trump, and the announcement by the Argentine leader of his intention to pursue a free trade agreement with the United States, an initiative that would violate Mercosur's legal norms. Full members of the bloc cannot independently sign agreements with other countries or blocs, a rule questioned by other members, notably Uruguay. If Milei insists on this idea, it could spark an internal crisis just weeks before the presidential summit in Montevideo in December. The Brazilian government is observing the Argentine president's actions with concern and, for now, remains silent. The interest is to continue cooperating, as Argentina is one of Brazil's main trading partners and a country where Brazilian companies make significant investments. In this context, a bilateral gas agreement is set to be signed alongside the G20 summit, aiming to increase Argentine gas exports to the Brazilian market. Lula and Milei will not participate in the meeting, which is expected to be led by ministers from both governments. — Under current conditions, we can advance broader trade agreements with the U.S., just as we are progressing with China — Milei declared to an Argentine radio station before departing for the U.S. An Argentine source stated, "It is clear that we will experience friction in the bilateral relationship in the coming times, but our bond is so important that these frictions should remain superficial. This is what many of us hope for."