Argentina accuses Pedro Sanchez of “meddling”

BUENOS AIRES (EFE).- Javier Mieli’s government accused Spain’s acting president Pedro Sanchez of “interference” on Friday, in a reference to the Spaniard’s criticism of the abolition of the former women’s ministry in Argentina. The European country withdrew its ambassador to Buenos Aires due to differences between the two presidents.

“They removed the ambassador for interference. And now, @sanchezcastejon?”, Security Minister Patricia Bullrich published on her X account, which was repeated by Miley on the same social network.

At a rally on the last day of campaigning for the European elections, Sánchez criticized Miley for suppressing the Women’s Ministry in Argentina and assured that “it hurts, but the feminist issue is a much more powerful cause than what (President) Miley could do.”

Pedro Sánchez criticizes Argentina’s measures

“My total solidarity, camaraderie and brotherhood is with the Argentine people, whom we love,” Sánchez said, ending his speech.

The Argentine government announced the closure of the Ministry of Women this Thursday, to fulfill its order to reduce the size of the State and because it believes that this ministry was “created and used” for “political-partisan purposes” by the administration of Alberto Fernández, according to the official announcement.

The next Fernández, Sánchez, had supported the former Peronist candidate, then Economy Minister, Sergio Massa, in the last presidential elections in Argentina, and did not send congratulations to Miley when his victory was confirmed in November 2023.

This Friday’s new disagreement occurs in the context of the diplomatic crisis between Argentina and Spain.

Tension between Spain and Argentina

Spain withdrew its ambassador late last month because Miley did not agree to apologise to the Spanish executive after the Argentine attacked socialism at the Vox party’s annual conference in Madrid, where he called out Sanchez’s wife, Begoña Gomez.

In contrast, the Argentine government urged Spanish authorities to apologize for treating him as a “hater”, “denier”, “substance abuser”, “authoritarian”, “anti-democratic” and “a very bad person”.

Argentina considers this diplomatic tension an “anecdote” in the long-term relationship between the two countries, but the personal relationship between the two leaders could be affected, as they are not expected to meet when Miley returns to Spain to receive an award at the liberal entity Instituto Juan de Mariana on June 21.