This has been reported by several media outlets in the country, including the right-leaning newspaper *La Nación*.
The Argentine ruling coalition has adopted a strategy similar to that of Donald Trump—who also failed to recognize the Workers’ Party (PT) candidate’s victory over Jair Bolsonaro. During a cabinet meeting, the Argentine president made no mention of the situation in Brazil, noted the newspaper, which described Lula’s win as a surprise.
Lula won the presidential runoff by nearly four percentage points—securing 51.79% of the vote against 48.21% for his rival, Jair Bolsonaro of the Liberal Party. He even triumphed in areas that had long served as strongholds for the Brazilian right and *Bolsonarismo*, such as Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Porto Alegre, Fortaleza, and Salvador—the latter of which saw the president-elect win by a wide margin, with 73.2% of the vote compared to 26.8% for Bolsonaro.
Speaking to *Prensa Latina*, academic Taymi Cantillo—who resides in the state of Bahia—noted that many young people and women have expressed gratitude for the policies implemented during Lula’s previous administrations. These initiatives enabled many—including impoverished individuals, Black and Indigenous people, and *quilombolas* (descendants of Afro-Brazilian communities known as *quilombos*)—to gain access to higher education.
They were able to secure scholarships for scientific research, teaching, and community outreach, while university dining halls—subsidized by the PT-led government—offered meals at affordable prices.
Furthermore, those who previously lacked decent shelter were able to obtain housing through the “My House, My Life” (*Minha Casa, Minha Vida*) program, Cantillo added.
Argentine media outlets agree that Milei’s silence—which extends to the Foreign Ministry, an institution that this year was quick to acknowledge and highlight the narrow victories of right-wing candidates such as Colombia’s Abelardo de la Espriella and Peru’s Keiko Fujimori—adds further tension to an already strained and contentious relationship between the two presidents.
This tension stems from the feverish, disrespectful attacks—filled with insults and slurs—leveled by the libertarian leader against Lula.
As a result, diplomatic relations between the two nations have been downgraded to the level of chargé d’affaires since last August, following a series of grievances voiced by Milei.
jdt/oda/mh
