Javier Milei has arrived in Spain during the pre-campaign, with no meeting planned with Santiago Abascal. His circle says he will meet Isabel Díaz Ayuso, but the Community of Madrid has not confirmed it; protests over his presence are also part of the visit.
Milei’s record of cuts in Argentina is an awkward backdrop to his visit to Spain during the pre-campaign. The Argentine president arrived in Madrid on 20 October for his seventh visit to Spain since taking office. His circle says he will meet Isabel Díaz Ayuso on 21 October, but the Community of Madrid has not confirmed the meeting. Argentina’s published schedule listed the meeting for noon, while reports gave different timings.
No meeting with Santiago Abascal is planned. Vox has said its leader is occupied with campaign events in Galicia and Asturias. Instead, Milei is scheduled to meet Vox secretary-general Ignacio Garriga and Disenso Foundation director Jorge Martín Frías on 21 October. He is also due to attend an economic forum and give a radio interview. The visit does not include a meeting with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.
The trip comes ahead of Spain’s early general election, scheduled for 29 November 2026. Afra Blanco, a trade unionist, has questioned why Ayuso and Abascal appear to be keeping their distance. She also pointed to Ayuso’s earlier presentation of a medal to Milei as a contrast with the uncertainty over whether they will meet now.
Blanco suggested Milei’s remarks about Argentinians struggling to make ends meet may help explain the apparent reluctance. Before travelling to Spain, Milei spoke at the Argentina Oil & Gas conference in Neuquén and criticised the phrase “not making it to the end of the month.” Infobae reported that the official poverty rate in Argentina stood at 32.3% in the first half of 2026.
She also cited his record on employment and public spending, including cheaper dismissal and unpaid overtime. Working days can reach 12 hours; holidays and pensions have also been cut. Her criticism also covered lower employer contributions to Social Security and public-sector job losses, while poverty has risen in Argentina. Protests related to socioeconomic policy and the housing crisis have also been reported in Madrid, including a tent encampment near Puerta del Sol.
Blanco’s argument is that Spanish politicians who have defended Milei’s policies may now be wary of being photographed with him. The Community of Madrid has not confirmed a meeting with Ayuso, while Milei’s scheduled contacts with Vox are through Garriga and the Disenso Foundation rather than Abascal.
