The meeting comes as further corruption allegations surround the ruling Socialist government and tensions between Madrid and Washington remain frayed.
The leader of Spain’s far-right Vox party, Santiago Abascal, met recently with the US Ambassador to Spain, Benjamin León Jr., to discuss the “serious situation” in the country due to alleged “corruption” at the heart of Pedro Sánchez’s ruling Socialist (PSOE) government.
This comes as various corruption scandals surround the Sánchez inner-circle and his government is one of the few left-leaning administrations left in Europe. It also comes amid tension between Madrid and Washington over defence spending and the use of Spanish military bases.
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Posting on his social media accounts, Abascal included a photograph with León Jr. and said that he explained “the serious situation Spain is facing due to the constant corruption scandals plaguing the government, which also have a worrying international dimension”.
— Santiago Abascal 🇪🇸 (@Santi_ABASCAL) May 22, 2026
The meeting reportedly lasted over an hour, during which Abascal also outlined his party’s positions and its various activities at national and international level.
There is no evidence of a public meeting between León and any other party leaders, notably Sánchez or leader of the centre-right People’s Party (PP) Alberto Núñez Feijóo. Backroom communications and non-official meetings could have happened, of course.
León has, however, met publicly with PSOE Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares.
Abascal met with León as a further corruption scandal engulfed the Sánchez government, with former Socialist Prime Minister José Luis Zapatero indicted for suspected corruption offences.
This comes as Sánchez’s brother, wife, and two former right-hand men including a Minister are all under suspicion or investigation for various offences.
León was handpicked by President Trump and has taken up his post in Washington at a time of tension with Madrid. Sánchez had repeatedly angered Trump by speaking out against war with Iran, refused increase defence spending to five percent of GDP, and has been a world-leading voice of support for Gaza and Palestine.
Trump has previously called Spain a “terrible” ally and suggested he may cut trade with Spain.
Born in Oriente, Cuba, in 1944, León’s family emigrated to the United States 1961 following the Cuban Revolution. He arrived in Miami at the age of 16, followed by his parents and brother that same year.
León’s father founded Miami’s first prepaid medical centre, Clínica Cubana, in 1964. Father and son then founded Clinica Asociación Cubana (CAC) in June 1970, which became another business and then the León family sold the firm to the giant UnitedHealthCare in 1994 for $500 million.
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