Relationship dossier
Argentina
Brazil
Relationship assessment
A durable integration and nuclear-cooperation partnership, with recurring trade and political differences.
Argentina toward Brazil
+40Argentina has pursued regional integration with Brazil through the 1985 Iguazú Declaration and the 1991 Treaty of Asunción establishing Mercosur. It also participates in bilateral nuclear safeguards through ABACC. Political differences, including over Brazil's regional positions and Argentina's rejection of the BRICS invitation, have periodically strained ties.
Brazil toward Argentina
+40Brazil has pursued regional integration with Argentina through the 1985 Iguazú Declaration and the 1991 Treaty of Asunción establishing Mercosur. It cooperates with Argentina on nuclear safeguards through ABACC and has supported Argentina's participation in regional and international initiatives. Political disagreements and trade frictions have periodically complicated the relationship.
Overall relationship
+45The relationship is anchored in decades of bilateral integration, a shared Mercosur framework, and institutionalized nuclear safeguards, creating sustained incentives for cooperation. Trade disputes and differing political alignments have caused recurring friction, but have not displaced the strategic and institutional partnership.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Argentina and Brazil have built a durable framework for regional integration and strategic cooperation, including Mercosur and bilateral nuclear safeguards. Their governments have also faced recurring trade and political disagreements, and relations have been affected by changes in political leadership. The long-standing institutional partnership remains a major feature of the relationship.
Areas of tension
- Recurring disagreements over trade restrictions, market access, and economic asymmetries.
- Differences in political alignment and positions on regional and international issues.
- Argentina's rejection of the BRICS invitation extended during Brazil's presidency.
Key developments
The Iguazú Declaration launched a process of bilateral cooperation and integration.
Argentina and Brazil signed the Treaty of Asunción, establishing Mercosur with Paraguay and Uruguay.
Argentina and Brazil established ABACC to administer bilateral nuclear safeguards and verification.
Major uncertainties
- The extent to which recent political disagreements have affected practical cooperation is unclear.
- The implementation and current scope of bilateral economic and integration commitments are uncertain.