Opening of the Santiago summit

Argentine President Javier Milei and Vox Secretary General Ignacio Garriga inaugurated the fifth Madrid Forum regional meeting in Santiago, Chile, on 3 September 2026. The gathering convened more than 1,500 delegates at the San Carlos de Apoquindo Event Center under the banner "A New Era for Ibero-America." Garriga focused his opening remarks on the border situation in Ceuta, following the mass arrival of thousands of migrants at the end of July. He described the influx as an invasion rather than standard irregular migration, pointing to the expansionist ambitions of Morocco and accusing the Spanish socialist administration of negligence. Garriga emphasized that national sovereignty and freedom remain impossible without strictly secured borders, pledging that Spaniards would continue defending the territorial integrity of both Ceuta and Melilla. Milei echoed these points during his keynote speech, arguing that European authorities are deliberately dismantling domestic security frameworks.

“Spain is a clear example, Pedro Sánchez and the PSOE are facilitating uncontrolled immigration on the one hand and degrading Spanish identity on the other, they teach Spaniards to hate themselves and feel ashamed of themselves, paving the way for foreign hordes that will end up replacing them.”

Criticisms of European left-wing governance

Milei escalated his verbal attacks against Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, calling him "Pedrito" and declaring that he was "dirtier than a potato." The Argentine head of state accused progressive leaders across Europe of capturing state institutions to treat public treasuries as spoils of war while keeping the public economically subjugated through taxation. Milei contrasted European policies with his administration's record in Argentina, arguing that fiscal discipline had produced falling inflation, reduced poverty, and increased economic growth. He called for conservative and libertarian groups to build an international alliance capable of countering the influence of the Socialist International across global bodies. Milei urged attendees to set aside internal differences to confront common security challenges, including drug trafficking and organized crime, through strict law enforcement measures.

“A radical left has taken institutional control across the continent.”

Transatlantic alliances and bilateral strains

The Madrid Forum was organized by Fundación Disenso, the think tank created by Spain's Vox party and chaired by Santiago Abascal. Abascal cancelled his planned trip to Santiago to attend a plenary debate in the Spanish Congress of Deputies, where Sánchez testified about the Ceuta migration crisis. Garriga claimed that the Spanish government scheduled the parliamentary session intentionally to hinder Vox's representation in Chile. The forum brought together representatives from several regional and international organizations, including Chile's Fundación para el Progreso and Republican Party, the Argentine-Uruguayan Fundación FREE, the F.A. Hayek Institute, Peru's Renovación Popular, Colombia's ADN, the United States' Heritage Foundation, and Europe's Patriots group. Chilean President José Antonio Kast delivered the closing address of the conference.

The remarks continue a series of diplomatic clashes between Sánchez and Milei. In May 2024, Spain withdrew its ambassador to Buenos Aires, María Jesús Alonso Jiménez, for slightly over five months after Milei called Sánchez's wife, Begoña Gómez, corrupt during a Vox gathering in Madrid. Milei also previously accused Sánchez of aligning with Kirchnerism and relying on former Argentine President Alberto Fernández as an adviser. Despite making six trips to Spain since taking office in December 2023, Milei has not held a single bilateral meeting with Sánchez.