Argentine President Javier Milei used a Madrid economic forum Wednesday to urge voters to remove Spain’s Socialists in the Nov. 29 general election, bringing his dispute with Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez into the campaign.
The outcome could shape the next government. The conservative Popular Party is expected to lead the seat count, but AFP reported it may fall short of a majority, potentially giving far-right Vox influence in talks over who governs.
Milei called Sanchez a dictator and told the audience to “Kick the Socialists out.” He also accused Sanchez of corruption and theft. The allegations came as graft investigations involved the prime minister’s relatives and former senior Socialist figures, AFP reported.
Government spokeswoman Elma Saiz called for respect for Sanchez, who has defended his government’s conduct and his party’s funding, AFP reported. EconoTimes previously covered the Foreign Ministry’s separate response in an earlier report on the dispute.
Milei will not meet Sanchez during the visit, AFP reported. AFP reported that Milei is due to see figures from Vox and Isabel Diaz Ayuso, who leads the Popular Party in the Madrid region.
The visit follows a series of unofficial trips during which Milei has criticized Spain’s leftist government and appeared with its right-wing opponents, according to AFP. In 2024, Spain recalled its ambassador from Argentina for several months after Milei accused Sanchez’s wife, Begona Gomez, of corruption.
Milei also blamed Europe’s leftist parties for weak economic performance and accused them of welcoming what he called an immigrant “invasion.” AFP cited more than 70,000 arrivals in Ceuta from Morocco during July. Ceuta is a Spanish territory in North Africa.
Spain’s Socialist Party has also used footage of Milei in campaign videos, presenting his cuts to public spending as part of a broader right-wing movement, AFP reported. Spain’s general election is set for Nov. 29.
