Madrid: Argentine President Javier Milei has once again targeted Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez during a public appearance in Madrid, reviving diplomatic tensions that first erupted last year.
Speaking at the Madrid Economic Forum on Sunday evening, Milei launched a veiled attack by stating the need to “clobber the local bandit,” an apparent reference to Sánchez, though he did not mention the Spanish leader by name. Sánchez’s office has declined to respond to the latest remarks.
Milei, elected in late 2023, is known for his unorthodox political style and provocative rhetoric. A libertarian economist and former television personality, he has previously drawn global attention with performative gestures, including smashing a piñata of Argentina’s central bank during a live broadcast.
This is not Milei’s first public clash with Sánchez. In May 2024, while attending another event in Madrid, the Argentine leader called Sánchez’s wife, Begoña Gómez, “corrupt”. That remark triggered a diplomatic fallout, prompting the Spanish government to withdraw its ambassador from Buenos Aires after Milei refused to issue an apology.
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Rather than backtrack, Milei escalated his rhetoric, describing Sánchez as “arrogant”, “totalitarian”, and a “coward”. Despite the mounting tension, Argentina did not reciprocate Spain’s move and retained its ambassador in Madrid.
Gómez is currently under preliminary investigation in Spain for alleged influence peddling and corruption. Both she and Sánchez have firmly denied any wrongdoing.
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The renewed exchange underscores Milei’s confrontational political approach and suggests that diplomatic strains between Argentina and Spain are far from resolved.
