Diplomatic Crisis Between Spain and Argentina: President Milei Accused of Drug Use

This is the first dispute between Milei and a European government. Since becoming president in December, Argentina’s president has heated up controversies in South and Central America. Now the same with Spain, although it is surprising that Milei did not start. That was Oscar Puente, the Minister of Transport of Spain, and the one who is seen as the greatest political confidant of Prime Minister Sánchez.

Use of materials

During a meeting with members of the Social Democratic Party, Puente said he is convinced that Argentina’s president is a “substance abuser.” Puente describes a situation that convinced him of this: “When he came out, he was in a state just after taking I don’t know what substances.”

It didn’t take long for a response to come from the Argentine capital of Buenos Aires. In an official message, Milei talks to Prime Minister Sánchez. Milei wonders why the false accusation of drug use was necessary. Because Sánchez has ‘bigger problems, writes Milei, about him, such as the accusation of corruption made by his wife’.

A Spanish investigative judge opened a corruption investigation against Sanchez’s wife Begoña Gomez a week and a half ago. Companies with which she had connections are said to have received government contracts and government support.

A threat to women and the middle class

Milei does not stop there in his answer. He says that Prime Minister Sánchez is a danger to women because he “allows illegal immigration for those who threaten their physical integrity.” He also believes that Sánchez is a threat to the Spanish middle class, as they would suffer from ‘socialist policies that only lead to poverty and death’.

It seems that the response that followed from Madrid does not settle matters. The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Spain says that he rejects everything that Milei wrote in his answer. The minister is saying nothing about the drug abuse accusation that started it all. It is not difficult at all for him.

Spain is talking about the worst crisis between Spain and Argentina since 1863, when the two countries established friendly relations. That friendship also translates into financial interests. Spain is number 2 on the list of the biggest foreign investors in Argentina, after the United States. There are 136 large Spanish companies in the country, with branches, people and money. This argument is not good news for them. They were already uncertain what policy Milei will have towards foreign companies.

A visit brings even more joy

The question is how this dispute should be resolved. Spain’s right-wing opposition knows it. He believes that the one who started it should take responsibility. They want Minister Puente to resign.

There is a good chance that this conflict will continue. In two weeks, Javier Milei will come to Spain, but he will not meet Prime Minister Sánchez. That is very unusual for a foreign head of state visiting Spain. Milei will attend the start of the campaign for the European elections of the radical right party VOX. And that is exactly the party with which Prime Minister Sánchez always goes against the hardest.

Milei and Sánchez do not shy away from conflict

Although he has only been in power for five months, President Javier Milei has already faced several international conflicts. The most intense was with Colombia. This even led to Colombia expelling Argentine diplomats from the country. Milei also ended up in a diplomatic row with Mexico and the relationship between Argentina and China is at a low point.

Sánchez also has several diplomatic complaints to his name. Last November, Israel expelled the Spanish ambassador from the country. Sánchez had spoken harshly and unreservedly in a TV interview. Sánchez lived against Morocco for years. Reports about the Western Sahara and the outposts at Ceuta and Melilla were completely wrong by the Moroccan government.