Students rebel against a visit by Milei to the Rey Juan Carlos University "which will count for note"

Argentine President Javier Milei arrived in Madrid on Tuesday for a three-day visit that has triggered immediate student protests at the Rey Juan Carlos University. Demonstrators gathered on Wednesday morning outside the library’s main hall on the Vicálvaro campus to oppose his scheduled speech. Student groups argue the presence of the Argentine leader serves a political propaganda agenda intended to support far-right sectors during Spain’s pre-electoral period, rather than functioning as a standard academic engagement. Milei’s itinerary includes an economic talk at the Nueva Economia Forum in Madrid before proceeding to the university. At the Rey Juan Carlos University, he is set to address the Faculty of Political Economy. His appearance is linked to the opening of the tenth annual Madrid Conference on Austrian Economics. He will present a lecture within the Master’s program in Austrian School Economics. Professor Jesus Huerta de Soto, who heads this postgraduate course, acts as one of the hosts. Huerta de Soto advocates for libertarian and anarcho-capitalist economic approaches that reject state intervention. Milei has publicly identified as a follower of Huerta de Soto’s theories. In 2024, the Argentine president shared on Instagram a congratulatory message from the professor regarding an economic plan Milei proposed for Argentina. Student unions reacted swiftly upon learning of the visit. Sources from the Students’ Union at the university stated that the event was organized with significant secrecy. Some students received instructions to attend the session as part of their coursework. A degree student attending Huerta de Soto’s classes described how the professor announced a conference in the main hall for Wednesday. The instructor specified that attendance would occur during class time and that the activity would count toward grades. Other students noted that while non-attendance carried no penalty, those who wrote a summary of the appearance would receive higher marks in their final evaluation. The student initially suspected the speaker might be Milei after seeing press reports and began organizing resistance. They noted that the topic was handled with extreme caution, likely because organizers anticipated potential disruption if the public knew the details. The student criticized the move, stating that giving space to someone who publicly declares public education is not a right represents a serious issue. The Students’ Union and the platform URJC por la Publica subsequently intervened. The latter group comprises students, administrative staff, service personnel, and teaching researchers at the university. In a statement, URJC por la Publica expressed firm rejection of the visit. They argued that hosting a head of state constitutes institutional backing for policies that already carry a social cost in Argentina. Protesters highlighted that the Argentine government is privatizing universities and implementing severe cuts. One demonstrator stated that allowing such figures into public universities contradicts the principles governing these institutions. Another attendee added that a university should not admit individuals who are destroying the sector. The platform characterized the visit as an attempt at electoral interference, noting that Milei’s presence grants institutional visibility to his ideas. During his stay in Madrid, Milei has engaged in verbal attacks against Spanish political figures. He labeled Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez an unpresentable dictator and urged the removal of socialists from the government through forceful means. He also directed insults at journalists from media outlets including Cadena SER. The protesting platform found it concerning that a public university would host such an act. They requested that the university rectory publicly distance itself from the visit. Additionally, they demanded the institution disclose expenses associated with the event and guarantee the community’s right to demonstrate without sanctions or restrictions. The university had not responded to inquiries regarding the organization of the event prior to the protests.