Since December 6, 2024, Javier Milei has held the Pro Tempore Presidency (PPT) of the Mercosur, which involves organizing meetings among member countries during the first half of 2025. In this context, Buenos Aires will host key meetings in the coming weeks, including a meeting of Foreign Ministers at the end of April or May and a presidential summit before July, when Milei will hand over the PPT.
The Argentine president has been an outspoken critic of the Mercosur, which he considers an obstacle to trade expansion and to the signing of a free trade agreement with the United States. His geopolitical alignment with Washington and Israel marks a break with the regional bloc, which has caused tensions, especially with Brazil, Argentina's main trading partner.
Tensions with Brazil and Milei's diplomatic strategy
The differences between Milei and Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva have impacted the bilateral relationship. Meanwhile, Brazil and Uruguay seek to maintain the current Mercosur framework, Argentina insists on modernizing and flexibilizing its operation.
On the other hand, Yamandú Orsi, the new president of Uruguay, has shown affinity with Lula, further complicating the scenario for Milei. In this context, the Argentine leader seeks support from Paraguayan President Santiago Peña to balance the political landscape within the bloc.
Milei argues that Mercosur has been inefficient in improving access to major markets and criticizes barriers such as the common external tariff, which limits competitiveness. His administration is working on an update proposal that would allow member countries to negotiate trade agreements independently.
