Madrid.- Argentine President Javier Milei closed the Madrid Economic Forum on Saturday with sharp criticism of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, calling him “unpresentable” and a “leader of the filthy trash of socialism.” He also praised Donald Trump and urged attendees to shout insults at the Spanish leader, amidst ongoing controversy over U.S. And Israeli strikes against Iran.
Milei once again became a central figure at the Madrid Economic Forum, an annual gathering of leaders from the far-right and ultra-liberal movements in economics, commerce, politics, and media. As he did last year, Milei delivered the closing speech at the event, held at the Vistalegre Palace in Madrid’s Carabanchel neighborhood. He entered the stage to the booming sounds of La Renga’s Panic Show, before taking the microphone and repeatedly shouting his signature slogan: “¡Viva la libertad, carajo!” He then delivered a speech filled with insults directed at “global socialism” and specifically at Spanish Prime Minister Sánchez, who has turn into a key international voice opposing the unilateral U.S. And Israeli military action against Iran after refusing to authorize the use of U.S. Military bases in Spain, located in Rota and Morón de la Frontera, Andalusia.
Shortly after taking the microphone, Milei described Sánchez as “unpresentable,” while praising Trump for his “courage against socialism.” He characterized the Spanish leader as one of those “responsible” for the “huge regulatory burden facing Europe’s economic development.” Milei focused his remarks on economic issues, aligning with the forum’s purpose of bringing together staunch defenders of ultra-liberal principles, similar to those he is implementing in his own country.
Though, Milei dedicated a significant portion of his speech to attacking Pedro Sánchez, whom he has previously called a “bandit” and accused his wife, Begoña Gómez, of corruption – accusations that sparked one of the most serious diplomatic crises between the two countries in recent decades. Addressing a receptive audience, he stated, “Believe me, if there were a Central Bank of Spain, instead of the European Central Bank, and with the unpresentable person you have in charge, you would have a disaster worse than Argentina’s.” He then thanked Trump for “finishing with the filthy trash of socialism” and predicted that “we are not far from a free Cuba.” He added, “Fortunately, thanks to the courage and value of Donald Trump, the filthy trash of 21st-century socialism is falling apart.” He also launched a tirade against “damned social justice” and “socialist rats,” arguing that “charity is not at the point of a gun. It’s incredible how charitable one can be when it’s someone else’s pocket that suffers.”
Milei also defended the idea that Western values are linked to the Judeo-Christian tradition. “When we talk about what is just, we talk about our values. Whether you like it or not, Western values are Judeo-Christian. If society followed the Ten Commandments and understood the seven deadly sins, the filthy trash of socialism would disappear from the face of the Earth so that we can all prosper,” he asserted.
During the forum, Milei also defended the economic model he is promoting in Argentina. Using a metaphor, he argued that communism is a “utopia that doesn’t function,” contrasting it with economic liberalism. He explained that while socialists “give away the fish and enslave people, liberals prefer to teach people to fish so they can prosper and eventually create businesses. If there are no entrepreneurs, a country ends up being poor,” he explained.
Milei received the first commemorative award dedicated to economist Ludwig von Mises during the event and announced he is preparing a new book titled Morality as State Policy.
Prior to his speech, Milei held two vital meetings. The first was with Santiago Abascal, leader of the Spanish far-right party Vox, also an ally of Trump. He then met with Spanish economist Jesús Huerta de Soto, a professor at Rey Juan Carlos University, whom Milei considers a key intellectual influence.
