In a statement released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the administration of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva condemned Milei’s attacks on Brazil’s judiciary and its electronic voting system, just five days before the presidential runoff.

“The offenses directed at Brazil by the President of the Argentine Republic—this time targeting the judiciary and the electronic voting system—constitute a new and unacceptable attempt at external interference in the Brazilian democratic process,” the Foreign Ministry stated.

The response was prompted by a message posted by Milei on the social media platform X, in which he insinuated that Lula might attempt to manipulate the results of next Sunday’s election—an election in which the incumbent president will face Senator Flavio Bolsonaro.

“I hope his latest dirty campaign trick doesn’t include stealing the election,” wrote the Argentine leader, who also labeled the Brazilian president a “thieving leftist.”

The Foreign Ministry described the statements as anti-democratic, unacceptable, and unhinged, noting that they fall short of the conduct expected from a head of state of a friendly nation.

Furthermore, the Ministry defended the security of Brazil’s electronic voting system, pointing out that international election observers had verified its proper functioning during the first round of voting, held on October 4.

jdt/mar