Argentina recently defaulted on its foreign debt again. The country had been battling a monetary crisis and rampant inflation. And yet, the Argentinian Foreign Affairs Ministry has stated it could assist Brazil in the fight against Covid-19. The ministry’s press officer, Lisandro Sabanes, told The Brazilian Report the aid offer is not attached to any specific proposal and would come only “if Brazil asks for help.” Questioned about what type of assistance Argentina would be able to provide, Mr. Sabanes declined to comment.
By June 3, Argentina had 19,255 confirmed Covid-19 cases and 583 deaths. Even compared in proportional terms to the population, Brazil has an infection rate per 1 million people 4.5 greater than Argentina’s.
While Argentina’s offer to help remains somewhat unclear, it could signal healthier relations with Brazil. The relationship between left-leaning Argentinian President Alberto Fernández and Brazil’s far-right leader Jair Bolsonaro is already frayed. In February 2020, Argentinian Foreign Minister Felipe Solá was hosted in Brasília by his Brazilian counterpart, Ernesto Araújo. The meeting supposedly sealed a new truce between Brasília and Buenos Aires.
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