Military honors for Argentina's president have been nullified by the Chancellery.
Tensions Run High Between Milei and Sanchez, Affecting International Relations
Argentine President Milei has been vocal about his criticism towards Spanish Prime Minister Sanchez for approximately two months. According to Milei, Sanchez is a "coward" and his wife is "corrupt." Recently, Milei's visit to Germany for an official state visit was scheduled with ceremony, discussions with Chancellor Scholz, and a press conference. However, due to certain scheduling issues, the press conference has been canceled, and Milei might not be accorded the same hospitality as other foreign leaders. The atmosphere seems frosty. What transpired?
In response to press inquiries, the German government stated that the cancellation of the press conference was not due to their intervention. Instead, scheduling conflicts were to blame, leaving only a "short working meeting" between the leaders and delegations at the Chancellery on Sunday. Milei has consistently been averse to press conferences and avoids tough questions. The controversial Argentine president is also known for his desire to control the circumstances.
This could explain the canceled presser, with the content-oriented meeting possibly being more significant than a ceremonial greeting. However, it remains unclear why military honors for the guest are scrapped. Could there be more to it? Some Spanish and Argentine media seem to agree, interpreting it as a diplomatic crisis between the social democratic Spanish government and Milei that is now expanding to impact German-Argentinean relations. In fact, recent critiques of Milei from the German government may have contributed to the escalating situation.
Milei has risen to prominence as the global right's new icon, advocating extreme laissez-faire economic policy, and aiming to sabotage the Argentine state, according to his own admission. He has stated that hunger should be left to the unfortunate, trusting society to find a solution. Scholz and Milei hail from different political worlds, with Scholz being more aligned with Sanchez. As such, the relationship between Scholz and Milei, particularly concerning new trade agreements such as the EU-Mercosur Free Trade Agreement and other collaborations, is being closely monitored.
Diplomatic Feud: Buenos Aires vs Madrid
Milei met with Spain in May, one of Argentina's most important economic partners, where he received special treatment typically reserved for state visits. In lieu of meetings with the prime minister, Pedro Sanchez, and the Royal Palace, Milei attended a rally for the right-wing Vox Party, to voice his concerns about the dangers of Socialism being disregarded by "the elite." Sanchez's wife was labeled "corrupt" by Milei. The crowd erupted in applause, which also included France's Marine Le Pen.
The Spanish government took offense, and their ambassador would not return to Buenos Aires indefinitely. In Argentine television, Milei brashly called this response "typical stupidity of a Socialist." Tensions had begun to simmer even before Milei's visit, with Spain's Transportation Minister accusing him of using drugs during his election campaign in Argentina. Sanchez retaliated by calling him a threat, saying he was bringing "death and poverty" and endangering Spanish women by tolerating illegal immigration. To make matters worse, the Spanish government supported Milei's political rivals and initially failed to congratulate him on his election win. Since then, bitter exchanges have been flying across the Atlantic, exacerbating the diplomatic dispute between the two countries. Sanchez was called a "coward" by Milei in his most recent outburst.
The dispute reached Berlin just a week before Milei's visit, with a journalist inquiring if Scholz would address Milei's insults with him. Chancellery Spokesperson Steffen Hebestreit commented, "The Chancellor will surely express what's necessary." Hebestreit also criticized Milei's "so clear and so tasteless" words, implying that further discussion was unnecessary as Milei's own statements spoke volumes. Hebestreit's comments sparked widespread media coverage in the Spanish-speaking world, and subsequently, the German government announced adjustments to Milei's visit itinerary.
