MADRID: Spain on Sunday recalled its ambassador to Argentina for consultations after President Javier Milei made derogatory remarks about Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s wife during a far-right gathering in Madrid.
Milei had called Sanchez’s wife Begona Gomez corrupt in a rally in Madrid, organized by the far-right Vox party and attended by many of its global allies.
Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said he expected an apology from Milei after the derogatory remarks.
Other ministers also denounced Milei’s speech, in which he described socialism as cursed and carcinogenic.
Albares said in a video statement said the behavior of Milei has brought the ties between Spain and Argentina to the most serious level.
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Milei’s visit broke diplomatic protocol as he refused to meet King of Spain Felipe and Sanchez, rather preferred to promote his book alongside Vox leader Santiago Abascal at the party rally.
The European Union’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, in a post on social media platform X said that attacks against family members of political leaders have no place in Europe’s culture.
Spain’s main opposition party, the conservative People’s Party (PP), refused to back Madrid’s stance, with party sources saying that Sanchez should have provided explanations about the alleged corruption case.
A city court in April said it was looking into allegations of influence peddling and business corruption against Sanchez’s wife, brought in a private complaint by Manos Limpias, an anti-corruption activist group.
