Argentina’s president refuses BRICS membership
Argentina’s new far-right populist president Javier Milei has rejected an invitation from the BRICS group of developing economies to join the bloc in a dramatic shift in the country’s foreign and economic policies.
He announced the decision in letters to the BRICS leaders on Friday.
The bloc, which is made up of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, in August announced it was admitting six new members in a bid to counter the Western-led global order.
The membership of Argentina, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates was due to take effect from January 1, 2024.
The letters signed by Milei and published by several media houses said Argentina’s membership was “not considered appropriate at this time.”
The libertarian outsider Milei took office this month after his resounding defeat of Argentina’s traditional political parties, and he had vowed on the campaign trail not to join BRICS.
Melei, a self-proclaimed “liberal libertarian,” was elected the president of Argentina after defeating his opponent Sergio Massa, the country’s former economy minister.
During his campaign speeches, Milei announced not only radical changes in domestic politics and economy but also in the Latin American country’s international relations.
Milei also announced the termination of relations with Brazil and China, the current two largest trading partners of Buenos Aires, who account for 25 percent of Argentina’s exports and 40 percent of imports.
He has also criticized Moscow, promising to suppress bilateral relations with Russia and continue to support Ukraine in the protracted war between the two countries.
Instead of Argentina’s previous political and economic allies, Milei favors ties with the United States and Israel, which was evident after he announced his first official trips to these two places.
Milei has also backed the Israeli regime’s ongoing aggression against Gaza, unlike most other Latin American leaders who have either severed ties with the regime or recalled envoys from Tel Aviv.
The new Argentinean president has also promised to blacklist the Palestinian Hamas resistance group.
‘Unsubstantiated’: Iran rejects Argentine court's blaming for AMIA bombing
Thousands rally against rising hunger in Argentina amid austerity measures
OIC condemns Argentina's decision to relocate embassy to al-Quds
Jail sentence handed to US paramedic for death of black man in custody
VIDEO | Pro-Palestine demos spread to Europe as students occupy campus in Paris
Two Palestinians killed by Israeli forces in West Bank
VIDEO | Islamabad rejects US report on rights practices in Pakistan
VIDEO | Yemenis endorse naval forces' attacks on Israeli-linked ships
VIDEO | New national transport strike hits Italy
US to pull out troops from Chad in second African state withdrawal
Yemeni armed forces strike British oil tanker in Red Sea
This makes it easy to access the Press TV website
