Javier Milei has reignited his war of words with Pedro Sánchez during a visit to Madrid, as the Spanish prime minister declared himself “leftie and proud”.
Javier Milei let it be known he had arrived in Madrid.
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
The Argentine libertarian launched a tirade against Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez as he began a visit to the Spanish capital. Milei, who has blamed socialism for Argentina’s economic malaise and cultural decline, accused Sánchez of acting like a dictator.
His visit comes amid a highly polarising political campaign ahead of the 29 November election, with Sánchez positioning himself as the last bastion against what he calls the ultra-right and a coalition of reactionary forces, including Milei.
At a breakfast event, the Argentine president called Sánchez a “shameless dictator” and suggested the Spanish prime minister was fuelling an “invasion” in Ceuta, the Spanish enclave that saw a mass border breach from neighbouring Morocco in July.
"The socialists would rather reign in hell than serve in heaven. That is why they encourage the invasion. Every immigrant is a vote. If the price to pay is the destruction of the country, they are more than willing to pay it,” he said.
While more than 70,000 migrants crossed illegally into Ceuta, the vast majority returned to Morocco within 48 hours. Some 7,000 remain, although they would not be eligible to vote.
Milei, known for his chainsaw economics and sweeping cuts to public spending, saw his verbal acrobatics reach a crescendo as the day progressed.
He urged Spanish voters to oust the Socialist government “a patadas” — literally, “by kicking them out” — if necessary.
Milei and Sánchez have clashed in the past and see each other as polar opposites.
In 2024, during a visit to Madrid, Milei called Sánchez’s wife, Begoña Gómez, “corrupt”. Gómez is under investigation and faces trial, but denies any wrongdoing.
The remarks triggered a diplomatic spat between Buenos Aires and Madrid, prompting Spain to recall its ambassador over what it described as “unacceptable” remarks.
With the campaign underway, Sánchez got ahead of the attacks from his Argentine counterpart, tweeting that he was “leftie — and proud” before the visit. He also shared a screenshot showing his iPhone playing “Fanático” (fanatic) by Lali Espósito, an Argentine singer and outspoken critic of Milei.
While Spanish sources described Milei’s latest comments as completely out of place, his attacks may play into the hands of Sánchez, who faces an uphill battle ahead of the November election.
Chainsaw politics
Sánchez is running an aggressive campaign, positioning himself as the only candidate able to “safeguard the social rights” of the majority.
He has also warned that a government led by the mainstream conservative Partido Popular (PP) and far-right Vox would undo years of progress. The PP is leading in the polls, with several opinion surveys suggesting the two parties could secure a governing majority.
At a rally, Sánchez told supporters that "a chainsaw cannot build anything, it destroys" and suggested PP-Vox would do the same. "If there's a lesson from Milei's visit, it's that they will do to Spain what Milei is unfortunately doing to Argentina."
Chainsaw, or la motosierra, is a campaign slogan used by Milei to describe budget cuts.
For the Spanish Socialists, the aim is to dominate the progressive camp by rallying all forces to its left. But that alone would not guarantee a return to government, as Spain’s parliamentary system requires sufficient support in parliament to form a government.
“If raising pensions, increasing the minimum wage or defending the right to abortion makes me a leftie, then I am a leftie,” the Spanish prime minister said, concluding: “Yes, I am a leftie, and proud of it.”
Sánchez also replaced his picture on social media with an image bearing the slogan “Leftie and proud” against a red background.
As Milei landed in Madrid, a banner appeared outside the PSOE’s headquarters on Calle Ferraz, the party’s historic base in the Spanish capital.
It read: “The lefties, men and women, welcome you to Spain.”
Milei, polarising to the right too
With the general election only weeks away, PP leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo, who has cultivated an image of a moderate conservative, did not meet Milei.
The two men have never been photographed together.
Milei did, however, meet Madrid regional president Isabel Díaz Ayuso, a trailblazer on the right whose political style is far more combative.
For Feijóo, Milei's visit represents a delicate balancing act, as he seeks to project a more institutional, statesmanlike image.
To govern in Spain, Feijóo will most likely have to enter a formal coalition with Vox.
While the two parties have forged alliances at regional level, they have yet to do so nationally. Vox’s group in the European Parliament, Patriots for Europe, is seen by Feijóo’s European political family, the European People’s Party (EPP), as lying outside the pro-European consensus.
Asked by reporters whether his visit to Madrid had put anyone in an awkward position, Milei rejected the premise, telling journalists: “That’s a view held by people who are intellectually limited, which is your case.”