A convoluted sentence uttered in the midst of a torrent of exaggerations, but with an unequivocal addressee, triggered an unprecedented diplomatic conflict between Spain and Argentina yesterday: “The global elites do not know what levels of abuse it can generate [ socialism], even if he has a corrupt wife, he gets dirty and takes five days to think about it”, exclaimed the Argentine president, Javier Milei, at the crowded Vox rally in Vistalegre. A clear allusion to his Spanish counterpart, Pedro Sánchez, and his wife, Begoña Gómez.
After the chain reaction on social networks of several ministers – from Vice President María Jesús Montero to Félix Bolaños, through Ernest Urtasun -, who came out in a blog against “the Ultra International” gathered in Madrid by Santiago Abascal, the response official came from the head of Foreign Affairs, who appeared in the afternoon to announce that Spain is calling for consultations “sine die” its ambassador in Buenos Aires and demanding from Milei an immediate “public apology” that, in case they are not requested , warned José Manuel Albares in a stern tone, they will give way to other unspecified measures.
These are, the minister affirmed, “very serious” words, unprecedented in the recent history of the two countries, “united by strong bonds of brotherhood”, Albares recalled in his institutional statement, in which he affirmed that the Argentine president “should never have abandoned forms and respect”, and even less “in the capital of Spain”, where he has been received “in good faith” and treated “with respect”.
“Hospitality has responded with a frontal attack on our institutions”, lamented Albares, who believes it is “unacceptable” that Milei “insults Spain and its president” during his visit. An attitude, he assured, that “breaks democratic customs and the most elementary rules of coexistence” between states, he said.
In view of this emerging diplomatic crisis, the Spanish chancellor contacted all the parliamentary speakers to obtain their support, but he did not get a response from the PP or from Vox, Milei’s host, he regretted. Yes, he did receive support instead from the High Representative for Foreign Policy of the European Union, Josep Borrell, who a few minutes after Albares’ statement condemned Milei’s accusations in a message to X: “The attacks against relatives of political leaders have no place in our culture”.
For its part, the PP came out in response to the Spanish Government’s denunciation, ensuring that Albares did not contact the main opposition party to inform it of its strategic turn in the Sahara or the situation in Ukraine , Israel or Gibraltar. “He is calling today so that the PP defends Sánchez from statements by the Argentine president whom the Government accused of taking drugs”, alleged sources in Genoa, where they understand that this diplomatic conflict is part of a “strategy of the PSOE ” in which the popular people refuse to participate: “They want Milei to mobilize the electorate that no longer convinces the Government”, they argued in the face of the “discursive hyperbole” attributed to “one and the other”.
For his part, Sumar put his finger on the wound of the Spanish businessmen who were photographed with Milei on Saturday.
