Putin will speak with Bolsonaro about Argentina's possible entry into BRICS.
The request to join BRICS was made by Argentine President Alberto Fernández during a visit to the Kremlin, and will also be discussed with the Chinese president.
RFI - On the first leg of his trip to Russia and China, Argentine President Alberto Fernández indicated to Russian leader Vladimir Putin Argentina's desire to join BRICS, the group of emerging economies comprised of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. According to Fernández, Putin promised to address Argentina's request this month when President Jair Bolsonaro travels to Moscow.
"Putin told me he will discuss the matter shortly, when he is with Bolsonaro and Xi Jinping," revealed Alberto Fernández, referring to the presidents of Brazil and China, in a brief meeting with the press during his visit to Russia.
From Moscow, the Argentine president left for Beijing, where he will participate this Friday (4) in the opening of the Winter Olympic Games, against which the United States promoted a diplomatic boycott.
On Sunday, during his meeting with Xi Jinping, Alberto Fernández will also address his desire to add the letter A to the end of BRICS, to form BRICSSA.
Less United States and more Russia
The move to associate with the major economies of the East, through BRICS, is part of the Argentine president's strategy to break with what he called "Argentina's dependence on the United States," against which he offered to be "Russia's gateway to Latin America."
It was an open criticism of the United States, amidst heightened tensions between Washington and Moscow over Ukraine, and just six days after Argentina reached a preliminary agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), for which US government assistance was crucial.
"By speaking ill of Washington from the Kremlin, the Argentine president granted Moscow a diplomatic favor at a time when Russian leadership is being questioned by much of the West over the conflict on the border with Ukraine," international analyst and former Argentine ambassador to Costa Rica and Israel, Mariano Causino, told RFI.
"By suggesting that Argentina be a gateway to Latin America, the Argentine president could damage relations with the United States, jeopardizing Argentina's long-term interests. These are reckless, inappropriate, and irresponsible statements," Causino concluded.
"This position is inexplicable in the midst of a conflict with Ukraine and in the midst of difficult negotiations with the IMF. It reveals a clear misunderstanding of Argentina's historical ties with the world," observes Diego Guelar, former Argentine ambassador to the United States, the European Union, Brazil, and China.