Simon Hunter
SPAIN’S Socialist Party Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has called on Argentina’s President Javier Milei to make a public apology after the latter insulted the former’s wife while on a visit to Spain this weekend.
Milei was in Madrid to appear as the star guest at a conference of far-right leaders, along with Marine Le Pen from France.
During his speech he described Sanchez’s partner, Begoña Gomez, as a ‘corrupt wife’ after a series of allegations were made against her in some sectors of the press of influence peddling.
A preliminary judicial investigation into her activities has been opened, but so far there is no proof of any wrongdoing.
Read more: Spain recalls ambassador from Buenos Aires after Milei insults Pedro Sanchez’s wife
“I am fully aware that those who spoke yesterday did not do so in the name of the great Argentine people,” said Sanchez today, speaking at the Creo economic forum.
He also called for a ‘public apology’ and stated that ‘between governments, affections cost nothing, but respect is inalienable’.
Earlier in the day it emerged that Spain was planning to recall its ambassador from Argentina in the wake of Milei’s comments.
“Even if he has a corrupt wife, he gets dirty and takes five days to think about it,” Milei said during his speech, in reference to Sanchez’s decision to take nearly a week of reflection in the wake of the allegations against his partner emerging about whether or not to resign.
After the comments, Spain’s foreign minister, Jose Manuel Albares, also demanded an apology from Milei and announced that the ambassador was being recalled ‘indefinitely’.
Then on Monday Albares summoned the Argentine ambassador to Spain, Roberto Bosch, to insist that Milei apologise for his comments.
Tensions between Spain and Argentina have been running high after Spanish Transport Minister Oscar Puente recently made comments suggesting that Milei had ingested ‘substances’ during last year’s presidential elections.
The crisis does not look as if it will be solved soon, given that several members of the Argentine government have already made it clear that Milei has no intention of apologising.
