Argentine President Javier Milei, announced as the star of the “Viva Europa 2025” event, has canceled his trip to the far-right summit organized by VOX, scheduled to take place in Madrid on September 13 and 14.

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The decision comes after a crushing electoral defeat in Buenos Aires and amid the bribery scandal at the National Disability Agency (ANDIS) that implicates his closest associates, including his sister and Secretary General of the Presidency, Karina Milei.

Last Sunday, September 7, the ruling party suffered a severe electoral setback in the Buenos Aires legislative elections, where the Peronist coalition Fuerza Patria surpassed La Libertad Avanza by more than thirteen points, a scenario unforeseen by the government that had a strong impact on the markets.

The president’s team, aware of the impact, recommended suspending international travel to avoid further strain. The news broke in Madrid, where the VOX party had opted for Milei to consolidate the European far-right’s influence in Latin America.

Her closeness to Santiago Abascal—president of the far-right group—marked by an ideological camaraderie, prioritized political gestures over diplomatic results, drawing criticism for the cost of these trips to the Argentine State.

According to Página 12, since taking office, Milei has visited Spain four times, always at VOX support events, without making any official visits.

In 2024, the Argentine head of state participated in the “Viva 24” event, where he gave a speech in which he called Begoña Gómez, wife of the Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, “corrupt.” This led to diplomatic tensions, prompting Spain to withdraw its ambassador to Buenos Aires after failing to receive an apology from the president. Finally, the Spanish government appointed a new ambassador to Argentina at the end of last October.

The Argentine press emphasizes that the cancellation of the trip to Madrid not only frustrates VOX’s expectations, but also calls into question the sustainability of Milei’s style, characterized by combative rhetoric and an international agenda that is more symbolic than strategic.

Meanwhile, the disability bribery scandal, coupled with the electoral defeat, exposes the weaknesses of a government that relied on a disruptive image and a rhetoric against the political establishment, which is increasingly difficult to sustain in the eyes of the Argentine people.

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