The Milei government is betting on the triumph of Bolsonaro and on Peronism bringing about the "resurrection" of Lula da Silva

With no scheduled appearances by cabinet ministers or officials on Brazilian soil, President Javier Milei will wait until Sunday at the Olivos estate for the results of the crucial runoff in that country, in which his favorite, Flávio Bolsonaro, will lead — with an initial advantage — the final battle against one of his favorite political rivals: President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. No one rules out that, amid a possible celebration, a swift and immediate presidential trip to São Paulo will be decided to greet his ally, if the first-round triumph is confirmed this Sunday night at the polls and the region, as the libertarian universe wishes, ends up fully "painted blue." "No one is going before, but we are optimistic and maybe we'll celebrate," says a senior official at Balcarce 50, in tune with the President's confidence in the outcome of an election that, like almost no other, divides the waters of national politics. The presidential debate between Flavio Bolsonaro and Lula da SilvaBruna Prado - AP The division mirrors the current tensions between the government and the opposition: while libertarians and their Macrist allies (the latter minding appearances) bet on Bolsonaro's victory and the consolidation of a scheme of right-wing governments aligned with Donald Trump, Peronism in its various strands, much of the Radical party, and the left are betting on a Lula resurrection — defeated by two points in the first round, but willing to fight until the last minute for the possibility of another term at the helm of the largest country on the continent. "I hope we can soon start working together so that Argentina and Brazil continue to be great commercial, cultural, and political partners. The opportunities for our nations, working together, are infinite," wrote President Milei, with the first-round result already known. After keeping a strikingly low profile for much of that campaign, Milei came out to celebrate Bolsonaro's victory, and above all the partial defeat of one of his main antagonists. He also recalled having supported Bolsonaro when the polls did not favor him, and the government claimed credit for part of the liberal candidate's comeback, as initiators of the "blue wave" that today has most of the region's governments (Uruguay, Mexico, and Brazil are exceptions) under right-wing political signs. With no ambassadors in office — the bilateral diplomatic relationship was downgraded to the level of chargés d'affaires in August — Milei is betting everything: if Lula turns the election in his favor, the relationship between the two leaders could even worsen in the coming months. This week, Milei took sides again, accusing Lula of being a "leftist thief" and expressing his wish that "his last dirty campaign trick not include stealing the election." The Brazilian Foreign Ministry, headed by Mauro Vieira, responded in harsh terms, stating that "this antidemocratic statement is unacceptable, unbalanced, and does not befit the stance that the head of state of a friendly country should have." During the last debate between the two, and as a taunt, Lula challenged Bolsonaro to "use the chainsaw," while criticizing the libertarian economic plan. With a different style, far from insults toward the PT candidate, Macrismo is also playing its cards with Bolsonaro. The former president and head of Pro, Mauricio Macri, days ago signed, along with other former regional leaders, all members of the Liberty and Democracy group, a petition in support of Jair Bolsonaro's son, who in their view guarantees "a Brazil that advances along the path of freedom, security, economic growth, and the generation of opportunities for all its citizens." President Lula Da Silva with Governor Axel Kicillof Peronism, by a miracle With less enthusiasm and presence than before the first round, Kirchnerism will be there to give its support to the Brazilian president. The representatives of the autonomous CTA, Hugo "Cachorro" Godoy and Luis Cabezas, will join the PT's "open" bunker, as will CGT figures and Parlasur legislators. The Cristinistas Eduardo "Wado" de Pedro and Sol Magno are expected, along with the Peronist Gabriel Fuks, among other figures, although many of those who were there on Sunday the 4th no longer plan to travel to São Paulo or Brasília. From that space, the Massista Sabrina Selva and the Kirchnerist Matías Molle will also arrive in Brazil, though by another route: they were invited by the Fundación Universitaria del Río de la Plata, as were the libertarian legislators Emilia Orozco and Damián Arabia (Bolsonaro sympathizers) and the Radicals Pablo Juliano and Carolina Losada. Buenos Aires Governor Axel Kicillof, who gave his explicit support to Lula da Silva before the first round, will also be paying close attention. "A Lula victory would not only be a victory for Brazil, but a sign that the extreme right is not invincible and that progressivism can govern by building popular majorities with a project for the future, in this very complex global context," Cecilia Nicolini, Kicillof's adviser on international affairs, told LA NACION; she will represent the Peronist presidential pre-candidate in the PT bunker in São Paulo. And if Bolsonaro wins? "It would have very profound political consequences for Argentina and for all of Latin America. The alliance Milei has been weaving with Trump would be consolidated, displacing the axis of the region's geopolitical and diplomatic agenda to be directly subordinated to Washington," the adviser warned. By Jaime Rosemberg