The Madrid Embassy informed the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs on April 30 that Javier Milei would undertake a trip to that country on the 17th and 19th May but, according to the newspaper The country, it would be a “private visit”. The news put the expenses allocated for his transfer under the magnifying glass, at which time he participated in the Vox summit, in the midst of the diplomatic crisis that arose after the accusations against the wife of Pedro Sanchez.
Furthermore, according to the information published by the Spanish newspaper, the letter stated that “Milei would travel on the official plane and anticipated that more details regarding precise schedules and delegation of support would be provided as soon as possible.”
“The President of the Argentine Republic, Mr. Javier Gerardo Milei, will be in Spain between May 17 and 19, on a private visit,” detailed the letter presented to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Spain. Suggestively, the Spanish media reported that the Argentine government “came under public scrutiny for the expenses of Milei’s trips abroad, mostly characterized by an agenda less linked to national interests than to his own.”
At the presidential spokesperson’s press conference, a Spanish journalist asked about the expenses incurred by Milei during his last visit to the European country. In that sense, Manuel Adorni He responded: “When I have the information, I will transmit it and there is no problem with that. In any case, there is always the possibility of making a request for public information. I always try to inform, the thing is that sometimes it can take longer. Many other times, some costs such as those of the flight, being variable and not fixed, which one knows in advance, take time to know the precise information. But we are going to make them known… in any case, I understand that it is not something of much interest for a Spanish journalist either.”
“It is of our interest, taking into account that he will return to Spain in a month,” the journalist responded. “It’s fine, but in that case it is a matter of the public coffers,” concluded the presidential spokesperson.
Milei and his Spanish counterpart crossed paths in recent days after the Argentine started the conflict during his trip to Madrid, when he targeted Sánchez’s wife, Begoña Gómez, whom he called “corrupt.” After that episode, Spain decided to permanently withdraw its ambassador from Argentina.
The strain diplomacy broke out over the weekend. Attentive to the presence of his Argentine counterpart in Spain, Pedro Sanchez had pointed out on Friday against the event organized by Vox, a Spanish right-wing party, in which Milei participated as one of the main speakers. “This very week there will be some far-right meeting unfortunately in our country,” said the Spanish president in his speech at the IV edition of the “European Funds” forum.
Sánchez claimed Spain as a society that is in favor of “gender equality, social justice” and environmentalism as a way to differentiate itself from Vox and Milei. On Sunday, the Argentine president spoke at the Viva 24 event, organized byr Santiago Abascalleader of that Spanish right-wing party, and picked up the gauntlet. “They do not know what type of society and country they can produce and what type of people screwed to power and what levels of abuse it can generate, even when they have the power.” corrupt woman, dirty and take five days to think about it“, shot the Head of State of Argentina.
The statements were an implicit allusion to Begoña Gómezthe wife of Pedro Sánchez, who was investigated for a case of alleged influence peddlingin the framework of a criminal case in which she was involved for alleged recommendations to a contracting company from the Spanish state.
Quickly, Sánchez came out to demand a request for “apologies” and “rectification” by Milei. The Argentine Government rejection the statements from the Moncloa Palace. The Casa Rosada chose to maintain tension and avoid a de-escalation of the conflict.
