Sheinbaum and Lula skip Ibero-American summit in Madrid, where Milei will attend

Spain hosts the 30th Ibero-American Summit in Madrid on Wednesday, 4 and Thursday, 5 November, the fourth time Spain has hosted it after 1992, 2005 and 2012. The government hoped to relaunch the format, but several large Latin American countries will be absent at the top level.

Who will attend

Government sources say ten leaders will attend at head-of-state or government level, Spain included: Andorra, Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Portugal, the Dominican Republic and Spain. Colombia, Ecuador and El Salvador will send vice presidents, and the other members of the 22-country community will send foreign ministers. Earlier estimates were higher: Andrés Allamand, the community's secretary general, spoke of around 15 heads of state in the week of 26 October, according to El Mundo, and ABC reported on 2 November that at least 14 were expected. El Mundo describes Lula and Sheinbaum, both missing from the planned photograph with Pedro Sánchez, as the region's main social democratic leaders.

Around 15, Andrés Allamand (week of 26 October 2026)15

At least 14 expected, ABC (2 November 2026)14

Confirmed by government sources, El Mundo (3 November 2026)10

Around 15, Andrés Allamand (week of 26 October 2026)

15 leaders

At least 14 expected, ABC (2 November 2026)

14 leaders

Confirmed by government sources, El Mundo (3 November 2026)

10 leaders

Data from the article text

Mexico and Brazil stay away

Sheinbaum's absence ends hopes of settling the diplomatic crisis between Spain and Mexico over the Conquest. Moncloa sources say she travels abroad rarely and point to her attendance at a democracy summit in Barcelona in April as a success in itself. She is due at the APEC summit in China this month, where Mexico takes over as next host. Sources explain Lula's absence by the election campaign that returned him for a new four-year term, and by his age, 81. ABC also reports that Venezuela's Delcy Rodríguez and Cuba's Miguel Díaz-Canel will not attend.

Milei and the final declaration

Argentina's Javier Milei will attend despite his attacks on Pedro Sánchez. El País reports that Milei called the Spanish prime minister an 'unpresentable dictator', 'corrupt' and 'authoritarian' in Madrid less than two weeks before the summit. Sources cited by El País say that, as host, King Felipe VI would have no choice but to cut Milei off if the insults continue. El País warns that the community's split puts a final declaration at risk, and El Mundo notes that the 2024 Cuenca summit produced no joint declaration approved unanimously for the first time, with Mexico, Nicaragua and Venezuela absent.

Schedule after the Urda crash

The agenda was reshaped by the rail crash in Urda (Toledo) on 28 October, which killed at least 69 people according to La Razón. The King and Queen Letizia visited the injured at Toledo University Hospital during several days of mourning. On Tuesday, 3 November, Felipe VI began bilateral meetings at the Palacio Real with Chile's José Antonio Kast, whom he had met in Santiago in March. The opening ceremony at the Teatro Real starts at 19.15 on Wednesday, 4 November, followed by a dinner at the Palacio Real at 20.15. On Thursday, 5 November, the plenary session starts at 9.00 at the Galerías de las Colecciones Reales, the King meets UN Secretary-General António Guterres, and a press conference follows at 17.15.

On Friday, 6 November, the King presents the Fórum Europa 2026 award and then receives Bolivia's Rodrigo Paz at the Zarzuela palace.