Diplomatic crisis between Spain and Argentina deepens

OVIEDO, Spain

The diplomatic crisis between Spain and Argentina deepened on Monday, with the Argentinian leader refusing to apologize for comments made about the Spanish leader’s wife.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Monday called again for Argentine President Javier Milei to apologize for calling his wife “corrupt” and insulting the Spanish government while in Madrid on Sunday.

“Between governments … respect is inalienable,” said Sanchez in a conference, adding that the president of Argentina is “not up to the task” of leading the bilateral relationship between countries with such close ties.

Spain’s Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares also summoned the Argentine ambassador to Spain after indefinitely recalling its ambassador to Buenos Aires.

Both Sanchez and Albares have threatened to take “appropriate measures” if the Argentine government refuses to apologize, although Albares said in an interview with La Sexta that the measure will not affect the large Argentine population in Spain or the Spanish population in Argentina.

Although Spain is still demanding a rectification, it seems unlikely.

Milei has not commented directly on the spat, only posting on X upon his return: “Hi everyone! The lion is back, surfing on the wave of Socialist tears.”

Spain’s Sanchez belongs to the Socialist party and Milei refers to himself as “the lion.”

Argentina’s Interior Minister Guillermo Francos told Argentine daily La Nacion that Milei will not apologize to Spain “because he doesn’t have a reason to.”

“Instead, we would be pleased if the Spanish leader apologized for the abuse and mistreatment,” he added.

The main conflict started on Sunday when Milei was speaking at a massive far-right rally in Madrid. However, in recent weeks, the Spanish transport minister also insinuated Milei was taking drugs, something he later apologized for.

Milei has also been free with his words when referring to the leaders of other nations.

In January, he called Peruvian President Gustavo Petro a “communist murderer” and in February said Petro was a “lethal plague,” prompting Colombia to also recall its ambassador in Buenos Aires.

During his presidential campaign last year, Milei described Brazilian leader Lula da Silva as a “savage leftie, supporting dictators, violating human rights, autocrats with their hands stained in blood.”