In a dramatic diplomatic twist, Argentina’s President Javier Milei has announced that he will not attend the upcoming G20 Summit in South Africa — aligning Buenos Aires squarely with Washington’s boycott of the high-profile global gathering.
The decision marks a significant geopolitical statement by Milei, who has consistently voiced admiration for former U.S. President Donald Trump and championed closer ties with the United States.
Instead of attending in person, Milei has delegated Argentina’s representation to Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno, who is expected to convey the country’s views at the meeting of the world’s leading economies later this month.
Government insiders in Buenos Aires described the move as a “strategic realignment” reflecting Argentina’s emerging foreign policy under Milei’s libertarian administration.
“President Milei believes in standing with nations that uphold the principles of freedom and market-driven cooperation,” one official told reporters. “This decision underscores Argentina’s shift toward the Western bloc.”
The withdrawal comes just days after South African President Cyril Ramaphosa reaffirmed that the summit would proceed as planned despite Washington’s absence, insisting that “no single nation” could derail the G20’s agenda of multilateral cooperation.
Analysts say Milei’s decision could deepen divisions within the G20, as Argentina joins a shrinking but vocal camp skeptical of South Africa’s leadership and its growing ties with the BRICS alliance.
While critics warn that Buenos Aires risks isolating itself from key trade partners, supporters hail Milei’s move as a bold declaration of principle.
“The president is drawing a clear line,” said one political commentator. “He’s signaling that Argentina’s future lies with free markets, not global compromises.”
The G20 Summit, scheduled for later this month in Johannesburg, is expected to proceed with participation from most member nations — even as the absence of two major players, the United States and Argentina, casts a long shadow over the meeting’s unity.
Source: AfricanHub
