Argentina’s decision not to enter the BRICS bloc is an “ideological” one, the Foreign Minister Diana Mondino has acknowledged.
“It is an ideological and practical decision, but more practical,” Mondino argued in an interview on LN+.
According to the official, Buenos Aires already has trade agreements with all members of the bloc. “Argentina has very big economic problems and the BRICS states have one goal: trade," she stated, adding that it was a "matter of simplification," and optimization of the use of time.
“If you participate in all organizations, then when do you find time to work?” she queried.
Weighing in on the move by President Javier Milei to reverse the country's entry into BRICS, which was previously announced by former President Alberto Fernandez before concluding his term, Mondino noted that international blocs will be mainly with “Western democracies,” such as the United States, Canada, European countries, and Israel.
“We will trade with those who pay more. This decision will not be made by the state. Our task is to create conditions for trade,” the minister said.
Mondino also said that the government was working to promote the MERCOSUR agreement with Singapore, and another with the European Union, which is currently stalled.
Earlier in December, ministers from the four MERCOSUR member states – Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay – and Foreign Minister Dr. Vivian Balakrishnan signed the MERCOSUR-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (MCSFTA).
Argentine President Javier Milei officially rejected the invitation to become a member of the BRICS in a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping, the Infobae news portal reported on Friday. Milei sent his letter to the Russian and Chinese leaders several days ago and also informed South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi of his decision, according to the news portal.
'Huge Loss of Sovereignty'
Javier Milei was inaugurated as president of Argentina, a country in the grips of a major economic and fiscal crisis for more than half a decade, following victory in the November 19 runoff election against former Economy Minister Sergio Massa. Milei vowed to slash spending, and carry out a series of fiscal measures to try to stabilize the inflation situation, including devaluing the peso against the dollar. The self-described “anarcho-capitalist” also announced on November 30 that his government would not be moving forward with his predecessors’ plans to integrate Argentina into the BRICS bloc.
Weighing in on that decision, Russian President Vladimir Putin warned his Argentinian counterpart of the potential risks associated with linking the Latin American nation’s currency to the US dollar.
"Ultimately, if Argentina’s current leadership deems this to be the sole viable solution to address these financial and economic challenges, it remains their prerogative. But is nevertheless a huge loss of sovereignty,” Putin emphasized at his year-end press conference.
Earlier, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said after the leaders of the five BRICS nations approved the group’s expansion at the summit in Johannesburg in August that some 30 countries had expressed a desire to partner up with the club of five emerging economies.
"It is logical that, since the BRICS operates on the principles of a genuine democracy and mutual respect, many countries are eager to get closer to BRICS. In addition to the countries that have already joined our ranks, about three dozen countries now want to become BRICS' partners," he said. Lavrov said that Russia would continue strengthening BRICS’ position as a pillar of a nascent multipolar world. Russia is set to hold the group's rotating presidency in 2024 and host a leaders' summit in Kazan in October, where it plans to adopt a "substantial package of decisions."
Amid global shifts away from American hegemony toward a multipolar world, the non-Western countries-members of BRICS hold increasingly more significant economic and political sway. Thanks to its sustainable growth, as well as diversity and ambitions, the BRICS may successfully challenge the US’ global dominance and scrap the dollar as the world’s main currency, a growing number of pundits have told Sputnik.