Brazil Govt OKs Milei's Attendance at Bolsonaro Convention, Will Respond to Internal Remarks

The Brazilian government, led by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, has indicated it has no objection to Argentine President Javier Milei attending the national convention of the Liberal Party (PL). This convention, held on Saturday in São Paulo, will officially nominate Senator Flávio Bolsonaro as the party's presidential candidate. However, the Planalto Palace intends to respond to any statements made by Milei concerning Brazil's internal affairs, such as electronic voting systems, electoral processes, or comments about President Lula himself. Sources indicate that Argentina's embassy informed Brazil about Milei's planned attendance, though no request for a meeting with Brazilian authorities was made. Flávio Bolsonaro is entering the convention without a defined vice-presidential candidate, a situation stemming from ongoing negotiations to broaden his support base. He aims to select a female running mate to enhance his appeal among female voters, a demographic where he currently shows weaker support. Senator Tereza Cristina (PP-MS) declined the vice-presidential offer, stating her intention to run for the presidency of the Federal Senate in 2027, a goal she believes would be jeopardized by a presidential campaign. Furthermore, Senator Ciro Nogueira (PP-PI), national president of the Progressistas party, informed Flávio Bolsonaro that the PP-União Brasil federation will remain neutral in the first round of the presidential election, potentially extending this neutrality to the second round. This decision by the two parties is partly driven by the need to allow their members to form state-level alliances, which may involve supporting right-wing candidates in some states and even allies of President Lula in others. The federation's hesitation is also attributed to a lack of enthusiasm for Flávio Bolsonaro's candidacy, compounded by internal party challenges and concerns over potential new accusations linking him to banker Daniel Vorcaro. The Lula administration, through political articulation minister José Guimarães and PT president Edinho Silva, has actively engaged with leaders of the União Progressista federation to encourage their neutrality in the presidential election. President Lula himself also communicated with party leaders, some of whom previously held ministerial positions in his government, to dissuade them from supporting Flávio Bolsonaro, which would have provided him with increased campaign funding and media time.