Milei not attending Mercosur Summit to dodge Lula faceoff

Argentine President Javier Milei will not be traveling to Asunción for the upcoming Mercosur Summit in the Paraguayan capital on July 8 in a move to avoid meeting face-to-face with his Brazilian colleague Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, whom he dubbed a "corrupt Communist" during his campaign last year and who insists an apology is in order. Last week the Argentine leader claimed there was nothing to be sorry for and that he would not go back on telling the truth. Foreign Minister Diana Mondino will represent Milei at the regional bloc's gathering.