Argentina's BRICS+ Rebuff: Foreign Policy as Cultural Battle

Abstract

Argentina's rejection of BRICS + under Javier Milei represents an important case for understanding the opportunities and limits of middle power foreign policy in a fragmented international order. This article argues that the decision reflected both the structural constraints stemming from Argentina's financial dependence on Western institutions and the pro-Western ideological preferences of the libertarian administration. Drawing on the literature on middle powers, foreign policy analysis, and presidential leadership, the article examines the evolution of Argentina's relationship with the BRICS across successive governments, from the Kirchner and Alberto Fernandez administrations’ pursuit of membership, through Macri's pragmatic engagement, to Milei's outright rejection of accession. It argues that the decision formed part of a broader strategy of alignment with the United States and Israel, support for Western security priorities, and the pursuit of OECD membership.