The Spanish government permanently withdraws its ambassador from Buenos Aires

On May 21, Madrid announced the permanent withdrawal of its ambassador from Buenos Aires, adding a new chapter to the diplomatic crisis sparked by Argentine President Javier Miley’s comments regarding the wife of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.

“We have decided to withdraw our ambassador from Buenos Aires permanently,” Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albarez said after a cabinet meeting, recalling that she had already been summoned for consultations on May 19.

He added: “Our ambassador will never return to Buenos Aires,” describing the hardline liberal president’s statements as “unprecedented in the history of international relations.”

He continued: “We have never seen a head of state arrive in a foreign country to insult its institutions and interfere in its internal affairs.”

The diplomatic crisis between Spain and Argentina was sparked by some comments made by Miley on May 19, guest of honor at an event organized by the Spanish far-right Vox party in Madrid.

In his speech, Miley objected to socialist policies as usual, before attacking Begonia Gomez, the wife of the Spanish Prime Minister, without mentioning her name.

He said: “The world’s elites do not realize the extent of the destruction that the application of socialist ideas can cause.” “They don’t understand the abuses it generates, and how many people end up clinging to power. Even those with a corrupt wife take five days to think about it.”

His comments constitute a clear reference to Sanchez’s recent decision to suspend his activities for five days to evaluate the possibility of resignation, after opening a preliminary investigation into his wife on charges of “influence peddling” and “corruption.”

During his three-day visit to Madrid, Miley did not meet Sanchez or King Felipe VI.

Upon his return to Buenos Aires on May 20, Maile continued his verbal escalation, calling Sanchez a “coward” and refusing to apologise, as requested by the Spanish government.

He added: “I am the victim,” referring to the fact that some members of the Spanish government described him as “a xenophobe, a racist, a denier, and a misogynist.”

On May 20, Sanchez accused Miley of “falling short of the fraternal relations that unite Spain and Argentina.”