The Rio Times · October 7, 2026

Milei called Lula a thief on Instagram before the runoff election

The Rio Times, a website that publishes news in English about the region, reported that Argentine President Javier Milei posted an image on Instagram labeling Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva a thief. The post was shared via an infographic from a libertarian think tank in the United States, which was then reposted by Argentine media outlets.

This occurred 18 days before Brazil’s runoff election, scheduled for October 25 between Lula and Flávio Bolsonaro. The outlet noted that Milei had already traveled to São Paulo in July to support Bolsonaro’s candidacy and that, following the first round, he described the result as a major victory. It also noted that political betting markets give Bolsonaro about an 84% chance of winning, though it clarified that these figures are not polls. There was no official response from the Brazilian government.

Via The Rio Times