The key facts

  • Spain's Foreign Ministry condemned Milei's insults against Sánchez and, according to it, a call to violence
  • Milei at the forum in Madrid called Sánchez an 'incorrigible dictator', a 'criminal and a thief'
  • Sánchez stated on X that he is proud to be 'left-wing'; Milei's visits to Spain take place without meetings with the prime minister

Madrid's reaction

Spain's Foreign Ministry on Wednesday 'resolutely' condemned the insults and, as the ministry asserts, slanderous statements by Argentine President Javier Milei against Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, Spain and its citizens, as well as, in the ministry's wording, the call for the use of violence made earlier that same day. The statement said that Spain is a sovereign country that does not accept external interference, attacks and insults against the prime minister and democratically elected institutions, and will not tolerate attempts to undermine its peaceful and democratic coexistence. The ministry called 'unworthy' the visit of the head of state of a friendly country with the sole aim of creating 'a climate of polarization and violence among Spaniards and between brotherly peoples such as Spain and Argentina'.

Milei's statements and Sánchez's response

The statement followed Milei's speech at a business forum in Madrid, where he called Sánchez an 'incorrigible dictator' and accused him of being a 'criminal and a thief'. In response to Milei's repeated use of the word 'left-wing' as an insult, Sánchez stated on X that he is proud of it.

Context

Milei's visit takes place against the backdrop of long-standing tension between the two leaders: the Argentine president has repeatedly criticized Sánchez during trips to Spain. Since taking office in December 2023, Milei has made several visits to Spain without ever meeting Sánchez, which, as the agency notes, has contributed to friction between the governments of the two countries.