Institutional statement by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation of the Government of Spain, José Manuel Albares

Institutional statement by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation of the Government of Spain, José Manuel Albares (Pool Moncloa)

Good afternoon.

Mr Javier Milei was received in the Spanish capital, in good faith, to take part in a political event of the extreme right. He has been treated with all due respect and deference and the necessary public resources of the Spanish State have been made available to him during his stay in our country. However, to this hospitality and good faith, he has responded with a full frontal attack on our democracy, our institutions and Spain.

Mutual respect and non-interference in internal affairs is an unbreakable principle in international relations and it is unacceptable that a sitting president, on a visit to Spain, should insult Spain and the President of the Government of Spain. An act that breaks with all diplomatic customs and the most elementary rules of coexistence between countries.

For this reason, and given the seriousness of what has happened, I have contacted all parliamentary spokespeople over the last few hours to seek their support, and I have received it from a large majority. The People's Party and Vox have not yet expressed their support.

I would like to inform you that I have just spoken to Josep Borrell, the High Representative of the European Union, who has told me that he considers that an attack of this calibre on a Member State to also be attack on the whole of the European Union, and he has indicated that he will make a public statement in this regard. Mr Milei's behaviour has brought relations between Spain and Argentina to the most serious point in our recent history. For this reason, I hereby announce that I have just recalled our Ambassador in Buenos Aires, sine die.

Spain also demands a public apology from Mr Javier Milei. Should no such apology be forthcoming, we will take all the measures we believe appropriate to defend our sovereignty and dignity. I would like to conclude by reiterating the fraternal sentiment that all Spanish people feel towards the Argentinian people, especially towards the Argentinians who live among us and contribute to our well-being and growth, and to whom I convey our best feelings. We demand that Mr Milei respect the manners that are due between nations, which exclude interference in internal affairs, and that he lives up to the great country he represents and the position he holds.

A form and respect that he should never have abandoned. Even more so in the capital of Spain.

Thank you very much.

(Transcript edited by the State Secretariat for Communication)