Javier Milei<\/a><\/span><\/span> made derogatory comments about Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s wife during a far-right rally in Madrid.<\/p>\nMilei had called Sanchez’s wife Begona Gomez “corrupt” during a rally in Madrid organised by the far-right Vox party and attended by many of its international allies.<\/p>\n
Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said he expected an apology from Milei.<\/p>\n
Other ministers also condemned Milei’s speech, in which he described socialism as “cursed and carcinogenic”. Sanchez leads Spain’s Socialist Party.<\/p>\n
“With his behaviour, Milei has brought the relationship between Spain and Argentina to its most serious state in recent history,” Albares said in a video statement.<\/p>\n
Milei’s visit broke with diplomatic protocol as he refused to meet Spain’s King Felipe and Sanchez, instead preferring to promote his book alongside Vox leader Santiago Abascal at the party rally.<\/p>\n
The European Union’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, said in a post on social messaging app X that “attacks against family members of political leaders have no place in our culture”.<\/p>\n
Spain’s main opposition party, the conservative People’s Party (PP), refused to support Madrid’s stance, with party sources saying that Sanchez should have provided explanations about the alleged corruption case weeks ago.<\/p>\n
“His silence generates internal doubts, but also distrust abroad,” a PP source said, adding that the party’s job was to oppose the Spanish government and not Milei.<\/p>\n
A city court said in April it was looking into accusations of influence peddling and business corruption against Sanchez’s wife, brought in a private complaint by Manos Limpias, or Clean Hands, an anti-corruption activist group.<\/p>\n
However, Madrid’s prosecuting authority later said it was appealing to have the case thrown out for lack of evidence.<\/p>\n
Sanchez decided to stay in office after five days of weighing his future once the probe against his wife was announced.<\/p>\n
(Reporting by Ana Cantero; Editing by Catarina Demony and Giles Elgood)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"MADRID (Reuters) – Spain recalled its ambassador to Buenos Aires for consultations on Sunday after Argentina’s President Javier Milei made derogatory comments