Milei attended Keiko Fujimori's inauguration in Peru, had no public contact with Brazil delegation

Amidst a high-profile diplomatic conflict with Brazil, Argentine President Javier Milei made a brief trip to Lima, Peru, to attend the inauguration of Keiko Fujimori as president. Fujimori is seen as a new ideological ally for Milei in the region.

While Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva delegated representation to his foreign minister, Mauro Vieira, Milei held a private meeting with Fujimori at Torre Tagle, Peru's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, before the swearing-in ceremony. He met with other regional leaders as well, including presidents from Paraguay, Chile, Bolivia, and Ecuador, as well as the King of Spain.

Peru's Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported that Fujimori and Milei highlighted the deep historical ties between their countries and the importance of strengthening bilateral cooperation in strategic areas such as the economy, security, science, technology, and innovation. The official Argentine government statement was more concise, noting the meeting and the delegation members, including Milei's sister, Karina Milei, who serves as Secretary General of the Presidency. A video released by the presidency showed mutual praise, with Fujimori calling Milei "an inspiration."

Milei and Fujimori's alignment is not new; Milei congratulated her after her narrow victory in the runoff election on July 2. He expressed his desire to "open a new stage between Argentina and Peru, two sister nations that are once again finding each other on the path of freedom." Milei considers Fujimori part of a "wave" of liberal governments now dominant in the region.

Notably, Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira arrived earlier and was seen interacting with Argentine officials. Milei was seated a few steps away from Vieira during the ceremony, but no public greeting between them was captured by cameras. The diplomatic tension between Argentina and Brazil has been a significant backdrop to Milei's regional engagements.