Argentine President Milei Skips Mercosur Summit to Avoid Lula Faceoff
![Milei avoids Lula faceoff by skipping Mercosur Summit 1 Milei insisted he would not recant on his derogatory remarks against Lula out of sheer political correctness](https://en.mercopress.com/data/cache/noticias/100298/760x480/850660-lula-milei-afp.jpg)
Argentine President Javier Milei has decided not to attend the upcoming Mercosur Summit in Asunción to avoid a face-to-face confrontation with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Milei has previously referred to Lula as a “corrupt Communist” during his campaign and refuses to apologize. In his absence, Foreign Minister Diana Mondino will represent Argentina at the summit.
Milei defended his remarks, stating that they were true and questioning the need for political correctness. He also announced plans to lower the age for offenders to be tried as adults, with a focus on reducing crime rates in Argentina. Additionally, Milei stated that there will be no more cabinet changes in his administration.
The government is also considering electoral law amendments, including the elimination of Mandatory Simultaneous and Open Primaries (PASO) elections and possibly lowering the voting age to 13. These changes need to be approved by December to take effect in the 2025 mid-term elections.