The Milei variable that burst into national politics this past weekend was yesterday cleared from the equation with no more consequences than the initial scuffle between the Minister of Transportation, Óscar Puente, and the aforementioned president of Argentina. A reduction in decibels that deactivates the attempts of PP and Vox to reignite the brawl by accusing the socialist minister of “opening an international diplomatic crisis” before Javier Milei's visit to Spain scheduled for May 18 and 19.
The Argentine Government has considered this Monday as overcome and “settled” the diplomatic incident that arose as a result of the comment made last Friday by the Spanish Minister of Transportation questioning the sobriety and temperance of President Javier Milei, whose Office responded that same day with a statement of “repudiation” in which he attacked the president of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sánchez.
“For us it is a settled issue, for us – I understand that for all Argentines – the fact that a minister from another country says that our president ingests I don't know what substances, or implies it, is (a comment) not only unhappy, but (also) quite aggressive,” declared this Monday the spokesman for the Argentine Presidency, Manuel Adorni. And he added that the incident “should not escalate beyond what already happened, which was simply an attack and a response to that atrocity that was said regarding the President of the Nation.”
And on the socialist side, the person in charge of putting an end to the controversy has been its spokesperson, Esther Peña: “Mr. Puente's words are made in a framework of relaxed conversation, and I do not understand at all that they could be the object of disproportion in the diplomatic response from Mr. Milei,” he indicated.
The episode originated during the participation in Spain in an event on social networks by Minister Óscar Puente, who stated that he had seen the then presidential candidate of La Libertad Avanza make some statements during the electoral campaign in which he commented: “(Milei) came out I do not know in what state and prior to the ingestion or after the ingestion of what substances”, without giving more details.
“(Pedro Sánchez) has more important problems to deal with, such as the accusations of corruption that fall on his wife (Begoña Gómez), an issue that even led him to evaluate his resignation,” was the reply from the Casa Rosada.
The statement also included harsh criticism of the internal policies of the Spanish Executive that were in line with those expressed by the far-right party Vox, of which Milei is very close and which he will support with his presence on an unofficial visit to Spain. next day the 18th.
Although the presidential spokesperson has pointed out that “the agenda is not closed,” Adorni made it clear this Monday that “there will not be a bilateral meeting” between Milei and Sánchez. “It was not planned, and beyond the fact that the trip, of course, continues its course and is still on, a meeting with the president of Spain (sic) is not planned for this trip,” he added.
Once “the relations of two brother countries and peoples” have been redirected, as stated by both parties, the second vice president of the Government, Yolanda Díaz, has criticized the role played by both the PSOE and the PP.
The general coordinator of Sumar has also censured the leader of the popular parties, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, for “always positioning himself with the extreme right forces, and especially with Mr. Milei”, while calling for “restraint” from Óscar Puente: “The problems of politicians cannot become problems of a citizenry that is tired, that is fed up; Now it's time to govern,” Díaz said in interviews on TVE and Telecinco.
