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Argentina's Milei calls Spain's PM 'laughing stock of Europe'

AFP
AFP - [email protected]
Argentina's Milei calls Spain's PM 'laughing stock of Europe'
Argentine President Javier Milei gestures during the presentation of his new book "Capitalism, Socialism, and the Neoclassical Trap". (Photo by LUIS ROBAYO / AFP)

Argentina's President Javier Milei has hurled fresh insults at Spain's PM Pedro Sánchez, calling him the "laughing stock of Europe" and an "incompetent, lying, coward, the latest verbal attack in a diplomatic spat between the two nations.

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"(Sánchez) attacked me in every way possible, and when I responded in the abstract with an example, he felt targeted and used every state apparatus to respond, to the detriment of a beautiful relationship between the peoples of Spain and Argentina", Milei told local television station LN+ in an interview broadcast on Thursday.

"Today he is the laughing stock of Europe in diplomatic matters," the right-wing Argentine leader said.

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On Sunday, Milei told a Madrid conference organized by the Spanish far-right Vox party that Sánchez had "a corrupt wife".

The Spanish prime minister recently considered resigning after prosecutors opened a preliminary corruption investigation against his wife, Begoña Gómez, which was quickly closed.

The Socialist premier has denied the allegations against his wife and said his government is "clean."

Milei's remarks about Gómez sparked a diplomatic furor that saw Spain on Tuesday announce the "definitive" withdrawal of its ambassador to Argentina after its fiery libertarian leader refused to apologize for his comment.

READ MORE: Diplomatic crisis deepens as Spain pulls out Argentina ambassador

In response, Milei branded Sánchez an "arrogant socialist" with an "inferiority complex" and recommended he see a psychologist, further stoking tensions.

Spanish Labour Minister Yolanda Díaz, who is also one of three deputy prime ministers, earlier this month accused Milei of sowing "hatred" in the ongoing diplomatic clash.

Milei said in the LN+ interview on Thursday, referring to Sánchez: "He sent his ministers to attack me; he did not even have the courage to do it."

He also called Sánchez an "incompetent, lying, coward."

The harsh words between senior officials in Madrid and Buenos Aires have become the worst diplomatic crisis of the Argentine government under Milei, who has also sparred with leaders of Colombia, Venezuela, Mexico and Brazil.

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