Argentina picks Raimondi for embassy in Brasilia

Argentina picks Raimondi for embassy in Brasilia

Following former Vice President Daniel Scioli’s departure from Argentina’s embassy in Brasilia, Guillermo Daniel Raimondi will be his successor, it was reported after the administration of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva greenlighted his appointment.

Raimondi served as Mercosur’s Secretary of Foreign Relations between 2017 and 2019, and represented Argentina for two months before the Organization of American States (OAS), under former President Mauricio Macri. After Javier Milei took office on Dec. 10, 2023, Scioli was to remain where departing head of state Alberto Fernández had sent him but weeks ago it was decided that he should return to Buenos Aires for a position dealing with tourism.

Milei also sent Raimondi back to the OAS but now changed that assignment to Brasilia, it was announced in Buenos Aires. According to local analysts, Raimondi was chosen to improve relations between Argentina and Brazil which have been severely damaged by Milei’s derogatory remarks against Lula during his campaign.

Raimondi is an economist by profession, just like Milei and Foreign Minister Diana Mondino. Brazil’s trade flow with Argentina last year amounted to around US$ 26 billion.

In the first two months of this year, Brazilian exports fell 28% interannually, mainly due to Argentina’s high inflation. Brazil also accounts for 60% of Argentine exports.

Raimondi was Argentina’s ambassador to Chile between 1988 and 1994 and played a key role within Mercosur in the following years. In 2010, he was Argentina’s chargé d’affaires in Uruguay, and between 2011 and 2012, he held a similar role at Argentina’s representation to Mercosur and the Latin American Integration Association (ALADI) in Montevideo.

In April 2016, he was promoted to the rank of Ambassador within Argentina’s Foreign Service, where his expertise in regional matters is highly recognized.