Brazil's diplomatic downgrade with Argentina should never have happened: former ambassador

The dispute between Argentina and Brazil should never have happened and will eventually pass, said Diego Ramiro Guelar, former Argentine Ambassador to Brazil, in an exclusive interview with China Central Television.

Brazil has downgraded relations with Argentina to the charge d'affaires level, Brazilian media said Tuesday, citing sources from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The decision followed remarks by Argentine President Javier Milei against Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and other Brazilian officials in recent weeks.

On July 25, 2026, Milei traveled to Sao Paulo to attend a political event, where he delivered a speech endorsing Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, to run against Lula in the October 4 general elections in Brazil.

He also strongly criticized President Lula and protested against Alexandre de Moraes, a Brazilian Federal Supreme Court justice, for blocking him from visiting the imprisoned former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro.

"This issue needs to be viewed within a certain context. Argentina and Brazil have maintained relations for over 200 years, with deep integration in culture, economy, finance, and even nuclear energy. Currently, the Argentine Embassy in Brazil continues to operate normally, and consular offices across the country are functioning as usual. In other words, we are not experiencing a crisis, but merely going through an episode. I believe this turmoil is entirely unnecessary; such an incident is inappropriate for two nations with such close ties," said Diego Ramiro Guelar.

The former ambassador said Milei's comments were clearly influenced by the United States and stressed that cooperation will remain the dominant theme of Argentina-Brazil ties.

"Just as U.S. President [Donald Trump] made statements opposing Brazilian President Lula and supporting Jair Bolsonaro, President Milei has, to some extent, embraced this era-specific approach -- a trend that emerged over the past decade but is now nearing its end. The U.S. president has driven and intensified this trend, creating significant chaos. I believe an international order dominated and maintained by the United States from 1945 to 2025 is coming to an end. Trump accelerated a phase of disorder, and we are now moving toward a new international order. I view this as a case of 'much thunder but little rain,' because what truly matters is that cooperation between Argentina and Brazil is expanding and their bilateral relations continue to develop," he said.

Brazil's diplomatic downgrade with Argentina should never have happened: former ambassador

Farhan Haq, deputy spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, warned on Monday that hostilities in Yemen are forcing people to flee their homes, causing civilian casualties, and putting the already stretched humanitarian operations there under growing pressure.

Renewed fighting in Yemen has displaced at least 125,000 civilians from 18,000 households since the start of September, he said at a press conference at the UN headquarters in New York City.

The UN Human Rights Office has verified 40 civilian casualties -- eight dead and 32 injured -- in the first two weeks of this month. Women and children account for half of those killed and more than half of those injured, Haq said.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said the United Nations and its humanitarian partners continue to respond, despite extremely difficult operating conditions, providing aid to thousands of households as of Saturday. However, supplies are critically low, and funding is falling short of needs.

Haq highlighted that humanitarian access and movements remain severely constrained due to insecurity. Humanitarian movements into and within several locations on Yemen's west coast remain suspended, while key roads are restricted or impassable.

"We call on all parties to protect civilians, respect international humanitarian law and facilitate safe and unimpeded humanitarian access so that urgently needed assistance can reach communities in need," Haq said.

Hostilities in Yemen drive displacement amid access challenges: UN official