Argentine President Milei's campus visit sparks protests at Madrid university

Javier Milei, president of Argentina, arrived in Madrid to inaugurate the tenth edition of the city's Annual Austrian Economics Conference held at Universidad Rey Juan Carlos. The appearance was met with a protest organized by the Plataforma URJC por la Pública, a coalition of students and university personnel on the Vicálvaro campus. The group contends that hosting the head of state provides institutional legitimacy to policies they deem socially costly in Argentina and characterises the trip as a propaganda effort aimed at right-wing electoral actors.

They also criticize Milei's remarks on social justice and warn that his open conflict with the university sector contradicts the values of public education. The platform has called on the rectorate to publicly renounce the visit, to publish the costs incurred, and to guarantee the right to protest without sanctions.