Argentina's Milei calls Spanish PM a 'crook' during Madrid visit
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Argentine President Javier Milei reignited tensions with Spanish PM Pedro Sánchez during a speech in Madrid, calling him a "crook" at a libertarian forum.
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Argentina's president Javier Milei arrives for his speech during the Madrid Economic Forum in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, June 8, 2025. (AP)
Argentine President Javier Milei reignited his feud with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Sunday, delivering an inflammatory speech in Madrid in which he called the Spanish leader a "crook" and reiterated his opposition to socialism.
Speaking at the Madrid Economic Forum, a libertarian event, Milei slammed Sanchez in front of a raucous crowd, several of whom shouted insults at the Spanish prime minister. As rock music blared and applause erupted, Milei gestured animatedly from the stage.
“If you want to rough up the local crook too, I’ve got no problem with it,” he said, referring to Sanchez. He later added, “I will always be on your side when it comes to opposing the socialists,” ending the line with an expletive directed at Sanchez’s Socialist Party.
Rising tensions between Spain, Argentina
The comments come amid escalating tensions between the two leaders. Last year, Madrid recalled its ambassador from Buenos Aires after Milei implied Sanchez’s wife was involved in corruption.
Sunday’s speech coincided with a large protest in Madrid, where tens of thousands rallied against Sanchez’s government in a demonstration organized by opposition parties. Sanchez’s wife, brother, and a former top aide are currently under investigation in separate corruption cases. The prime minister has rejected the allegations, calling them part of a politically motivated smear campaign.
Milei, a far-right libertarian who assumed office in December 2023, has promised sweeping reforms to fix Argentina’s ailing economy, including drastic public spending cuts and deregulation. While his administration posted the country's first budget surplus in over a decade, his policies have triggered high inflation, rising unemployment, and falling consumer confidence.
Milei arrived in Madrid on Saturday as part of a 10-day tour through Europe and "Israel". Prior to Spain, he visited Rome, where he met with Pope Leo XIV. In Madrid, he also met with Santiago Abascal, leader of Spain’s far-right Vox party. No meeting with Sanchez was planned.
Milei breaches diplomatic protocol
Last year, Milei made a trip to Madrid during which he breached diplomatic protocol, as he refused meetings with Spain's King Felipe and Prime Minister Sanchez, instead promoting his book alongside Vox leader Santiago Abascal.
Josep Borrell, the EU's then-foreign policy chief, criticized Milei's comments, stating that "attacks against family members of political leaders have no place in our culture," while Spain's opposition party, the People's Party (PP), argued that Sanchez should have addressed the corruption allegations against his wife sooner.
Since Milei assumed office, the economic crisis in Argentina has further exacerbated. The poverty rate rose from 45% to 57%, and child poverty is expected to climb from 62% to 70% due to austerity measures and cuts in public spending.
