BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — Spain on Tuesday said it was pulling its ambassador from Argentina in response to comments made by Argentine President Javier Milei, who accused the Spanish prime minister’s wife of corruption and described socialism as “cursed and carcinogenic.”

Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares told reporters Tuesday that the Spanish ambassador to Argentina “will definitely stay in Madrid.”

“Argentina will continue without an ambassador,” he said.

Milei responded angrily to the move, saying the withdrawal was “nonsense typical of an arrogant socialist.”

“Socialists are capable of doing anything,” he added.

The decision further escalates a diplomatic spat between the socialist Spanish government and the right-wing Argentine government.

Tensions have been building for weeks. Spain’s socialist government had summoned its ambassador for consultations and demanded an apology from Milei after the libertarian leader slammed Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and his wife at a far-right rally in Madrid Sunday.

On Monday Milei only doubled down, saying he would “under no circumstances” apologize for his criticism.