Argentina's far-right President Javier Milei called Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez a "dictator" in a visit to Madrid on Wednesday, October 21, urging voters to oust the Socialist leader in upcoming elections. It was yet another barb by Milei against his nemesis Sanchez, which drew condemnation of "external interference, attacks and insults" from the Spanish government.

"You are suffering under the disgraceful dictator Pedro Sanchez," Milei said at an economic forum in the Spanish capital, adding: "Kick the Socialists out, because you are the cradle of liberalism." Sanchez has emerged as a global progressive star, notably for his clashes with US President Donald Trump and Israel, but his eight-year premiership is in peril ahead of the November 29 general election. The main opposition conservative Popular Party (PP) is predicted to win the most seats but without obtaining a majority, potentially giving far-right Vox the decisive say in forming the next government.

Milei also referred to Sanchez as a "thief" and "corrupt," as the Spanish leader grapples with graft probes that have affected relatives and ex-Socialist heavyweights.

Sanchez has consistently defended the probity of his government and the source of his party's funding. The Spanish foreign ministry slammed Milei for his "external interference, attacks and insults" against Sanchez and his "call for the use of violence." "It is shameful that a person who holds the highest office of a sister nation makes visits to our country with the only aim of trying to foster a climate of polarization and violence," the ministry said in a statement.

Diplomatic crisis Milei will not meet Sanchez during his visit – the latest of several unofficial trips to Spain which he has used to attack its leftist government and rally with the right-wing opposition. The self-described "anarcho-capitalist" is instead seeing figures from Vox as well as Isabel Diaz Ayuso, the PP leader of the Madrid region who is an acerbic critic of Sanchez. "I am clearly friends with (Vox leader) Santiago Abascal and with Isabel Diaz Ayuso, and I believe they have sound, positive ideas for pulling Spain out of its decline," Milei said.

In 2024, a diplomatic crisis erupted after Milei called Sanchez's wife Begona Gomez "corrupt," prompting Madrid to recall its ambassador to Argentina for months. The firebrand libertarian also launched a sharp attack on left-wing parties in Europe, accusing them of causing Europe's economic "stagnation" and for welcoming an "invasion" of immigrants.

More than 70,000 migrants entered Spain's north African territory of Ceuta from Morocco in July, making Sanchez the target of attacks by global right-wing figures including Trump.

Earlier on Wednesday, Sanchez posted a short video on X in which he expressed pride in being "zurdo," a Spanish term often used pejoratively by the Argentine leader and the far right to refer to left-wing activists. His Socialist party has used footage of Milei in campaign videos to rally left-wing voters against what it calls a "reactionary international," including the Argentine leader's swingeing cuts to public spending, symbolized by a chainsaw.