International

President of Brazil meets with his Argentine counterpart

Photo: AP News

May 3 |

The President of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva received on Tuesday the President of Argentina, Alberto Fernández at the Alvorada Palace, Brasilia, as part of the bilateral agenda of both countries.

“From the political point of view, I committed with my friend Alberto Fernandez, to do everything and any sacrifice so that we can help Argentina in this difficult moment,” said the Brazilian president in a joint press conference after the meeting.

In this sense, Lula emphasized that he has spoken with the Brics group (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa), and revealed his intention to talk with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), so that it does not continue to pressure Argentina for the payment of the debt.

“The IMF knows to whom it lent the money, and therefore it cannot continue pressuring a country that only wants to grow, generate jobs and improve the life of the people”, he said.

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Likewise, the dignitary pointed out that in this way, Brazilian businessmen who export to Argentina are also helped. “We are discussing to find a way for our exporters to keep their companies working and thus imports between Brazil and Argentina can continue to grow”.

For his part, the Argentine president highlighted the importance of the meeting held for more than four hours, where aspects related to the complicated economic situation of his country due to the drought were reviewed, and solutions were put in place.

“They have made the decision to help Brazilian companies to continue exporting to Argentina and they had asked us to do some homework that we have done, they have to do with the necessary guarantees so that Brazil can favor those credits”, said President Fernandez.

Alberto Fernández also celebrated the explicit position that Brazil has taken with respect to Argentina and the IMF.

“As you know, we are negotiating with the Fund the program that we committed at the time because the conditions have changed, and knowing that now we can count on the help of Brazil and President Lula is of great value for us”, he assured.

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According to the Casa Rosada, the Argentine delegation was represented by the Chief of Cabinet, Agustín Rossi; the Ministers of Economy, Sergio Massa, and of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Worship, Santiago Cafiero; the Argentine Ambassador to Brazil, Daniel Scioli; the Secretary General of the Presidency, Julio Vitobello, and the spokesperson of the Presidency, Gabriela Cerruti.

On April 27, both presidents spoke by videoconference on cooperation relations, in addition to offering assessments on the role of the Union of South American Nations (Unasur).

International

Paraguay summons Brazilian ambassador over Itaipú espionage scandal

Paraguay summoned the Brazilian ambassador in Asunción on Tuesday to demand “explanations” and called its own representative in Brasília for consultations following Brazil’s acknowledgment of an espionage operation. The Brazilian government, led by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, attributed the operation to the previous administration.

The surveillance effort aimed to uncover Paraguay’s position in now-suspended negotiations with Brazil regarding the pricing of electricity from the binational Itaipú hydroelectric plant, according to reports in the Brazilian press.

The Brazilian government “categorically denied any involvement in the intelligence operation,” stating in a Foreign Ministry communiqué on Monday that the espionage was carried out under former President Jair Bolsonaro’s administration (2019-2023).

“The operation was authorized by the previous government in June 2022 and was annulled by the interim director of the (state intelligence agency) ABIN on March 27, 2023, as soon as the current administration became aware of it,” Brazil’s government asserted.

Paraguay’s Foreign Minister Rubén Ramírez announced that Brazilian Ambassador José Antonio Marcondes de Carvalho was summoned “to provide detailed explanations” regarding the operation. Additionally, Paraguay recalled its diplomatic representative in Brasília “to report on aspects related to the intelligence activity conducted by Brazil regarding Paraguay’s government affairs.”

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International

Elon Musk to step down as government advisor, per Trump insiders

President Donald Trump has informed his inner circle that Elon Musk will be stepping down from his role as a government advisor, according to a report by Politico today.

Citing three individuals close to Trump, Politico states that the president is pleased with Musk’s leadership at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), where he has implemented significant budget cuts. However, both have agreed that it is time for Musk to return to his businesses and support Trump from a different position outside the government.

A senior administration official told Politico that Musk will likely maintain an informal advisory role and continue to be an occasional visitor to the White House. Another source warned that anyone thinking Musk will completely disappear from Trump’s circle is “deluding themselves.”

According to the sources, this transition is expected to coincide with the end of Musk’s tenure as a “special government employee,” a temporary status that exempts him from certain ethics and conflict-of-interest regulations. This 130-day period is set to expire in late May or early June.

International

Milei vows to make Argentina so strong that Falkland Islanders “choose” to join

Argentine President Javier Milei reaffirmed his country’s claim over the Falkland Islands (known as the Islas Malvinas in Argentina) and praised the role of the nation’s armed forces during a ceremony marking the “Veterans and Fallen Soldiers of the Malvinas War Day,” commemorating 43 years since the 1982 conflict with the United Kingdom.

Argentina continues to assert sovereignty over the islands, arguing that Britain unlawfully seized them in 1833.

“If sovereignty over the Malvinas is the issue, we have always made it clear that the most important vote is the one cast with one’s feet. We hope that one day, the Malvinas residents will choose to vote with their feet and join us,” Milei stated.

“That is why we aim to become a global power—so much so that they would prefer to be Argentine, making deterrence or persuasion unnecessary. This is why we have embarked on a path of liberation, working to make Argentina the freest country in the world and once again the nation with the highest GDP per capita on the planet,” he added.