Argentina’s controversial president Javier Milei has caused outrage in Spain after describing the wife of the country’s Prime Minister, Begoña Gómez, as “corrupt” during a far-right rally in Madrid on Monday.

During a rally organised by Spanish far-right Vox party in Madrid, Mr Milei subtly called Ms Gómez corrupt without directly name-dropping her, saying “when you have a corrupt wife, let’s say, it gets dirty.”

Mr Milei’s statement was in reference to Ms Gómez’s recent legal troubles after prosecutors opened a preliminary investigation into her dealings over corruption allegations. But it was closed in April with authorities citing lack of enough evidence to back up claims.

The Spanish opposition party had made influence peddling allegations against Ms Gómez. But no criminal charges had been brought against her as the party itself acknowledged the allegations could be false. 

Mr Milei also attacked “global elites,” who he said were the dangers of socialism, saying they were “the type of people clinging to power and the level of abuse that generates.”

As expected, Mr Milei’s comment drew protest from the Spanish authorities with the country’s foreign minister, José Manuel Albares, saying the Argentine President had insulted both Spain and its leader and demanded an apology.

Mr Albares noted that Spain could cut diplomatic ties with Argentina if no apology was issued. Argentina’s Interior Minister, Guillermo Francos, however, said in a statement that “there is no apology,” stating that Spain should instead apologise for its past comments about Mr Milei. 

It is not the first time Mr Milei made derogatory comments about world leaders. He once called Brazil’s President, Inacio Lula da Silva, an “angry communist’’ and described Mexico’s President, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, as “ignorant.”

In a CNN interview in March, Mr Milei called Colombian President Gustavo Petro a “murdering terrorist.’’