Politics · Spain · 1 hr ago
PP keeps distance from Milei visit as Ayuso meets Argentina’s president
Madrid regional leader Isabel Díaz Ayuso welcomed Argentina’s president, Javier Milei, during his visit to Spain ahead of Spain’s 29 November general election.
The PP’s national leadership kept its distance: its leader, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, held a campaign event in Seville and did not mention Milei.
The party says Ayuso’s meeting was a normal contact between leaders, but a campaign spokesperson said nobody from the national leadership would meet Milei because their schedule was full.
In Madrid, Milei insulted Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, calling him an “unpresentable dictator.”
The PP worries his remarks could energise progressive voters, so it hopes the visit’s impact will fade before election day.
The PSOE used the visit to promote its progressive politics, while Vox leader Santiago Abascal showed his support for Milei in a video call.
The election is still 40 days away, and the PP is counting on the visit not dominating the campaign.
Argentina’s President Javier Milei visited Madrid, where Isabel Díaz Ayuso met him while the national leadership of Spain’s People’s Party kept its distance.
Ayuso, president of the Community of Madrid, received Milei on Wednesday and embraced him.
PP leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo travelled to Seville for a housing-policy event and did not refer to Milei.
The PP said its national leadership had no meeting with Milei because its schedule was full during the run-up to Spain’s November 29 general election.
The PP leadership said it expected the visit’s political impact to fade before election day, while the PSOE used Milei’s visit to promote its progressive policies.
- Who
- Argentina’s President Javier Milei and Madrid regional president Isabel Díaz Ayuso. Spain’s PP leadership, including Alberto Núñez Feijóo, kept its distance.
- What
- Ayuso met Milei in Madrid, while Feijóo held a separate event in Seville and the PP leadership said it would not meet the Argentine president.
- When
- Wednesday, October 21, 2026. Spain’s general election is scheduled for November 29.
- Where
- Madrid, Spain; Feijóo’s housing-policy event was in Seville.
- Why
- The PP said its leadership had a full schedule during the election campaign. The stated purpose of Ayuso’s meeting was to maintain normal relations between two nations.
PP national leadership
Isabel Díaz Ayuso
Approach to Milei’s visit
PP national leadership
Feijóo avoided the visit and the PP leadership sent Senate president Pedro Rollán to a breakfast event with Milei.
Isabel Díaz Ayuso
Ayuso received Milei warmly and met him as president of the Community of Madrid.
Political significance
PP national leadership
The PP leadership sought to avoid raising tensions during the campaign and expected the visit’s impact to fade.
Isabel Díaz Ayuso
Ayuso presented the meeting as normal relations with the leader of a sister nation.
Ayuso awarded Milei the International Medal of the Community of Madrid during his previous visit to Spain.
The Community of Madrid confirmed Ayuso would meet Milei at 5 p.m.
Ayuso met Milei in Madrid, while Feijóo held a housing-policy event in Seville.
Spain’s general election is scheduled to take place.
- Meeting
- Ayuso met Milei in Madrid at 5 p.m. on Wednesday
- Election date
- November 29, 2026
- PP leadership
- Said it would not meet Milei because its schedule was full
- Feijóo’s event
- Housing-policy event in Seville
- Previous visit
- Ayuso awarded Milei the Madrid region’s International Medal in June 2024
3 sources
Ayuso defiende su reunión con Milei y exige que se le respete: “Ha salido de las urnas y no de una herriko taberna”
El PP confía en que el impacto de la visita de Milei se diluya el 29-N: “Si llega a venir la última semana sería distinto”
La dirección del PP descarta reunirse con Milei por problemas de agenda, pero quita hierro a su encuentro por la tarde con Ayuso
What people are saying
Milei is a head of state of a sister nation, Argentina, where there are many economic, social and cultural interests.
Thank goodness he came now and not on November 21, because if he had come in the last week of the campaign, the scenario would be different.
unpresentable dictator
Posts on X
💢 La falta de respeto de Milei a una periodista de la SER tras hacerle una pregunta sobre PP y Vox en un acto: "Es una visión de gente corta intelectualmente, vale para tu caso" https://t.co/sccUbIKpQf