Argentina's President Milei's absence from Mercosur summit raises doubts about the alliance's future.

Argentina's President Javier Milei's absence from a Mercosur summit raises doubts about the future of the South American trade alliance. Milei has advocated for Argentina's withdrawal from the bloc, which was founded in 1991 as a customs union of neighboring countries. Mercosur originally represented a significant step forward in regional trade, but has since been affected by protectionism and political instability.