Madrid Leader Ayuso Labels Mexico a ‘Narco-State,’ Compares It to Cuba and Venezuela

Madrid, Spain — The president of Spain’s Community of Madrid, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, has labeled Mexico’s government a “narco-state” and compared it to the authoritarian regimes of Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela. Ayuso made the remarks in a recorded message for the Hispanic Prosperity Gala at Mar-a-Lago, the Florida resort and political hub of former U.S. President Donald Trump.

Addressing an audience of conservative U.S. and Latin American leaders, Ayuso described Mexico as an “extreme left” narco-state and urged the country to “break the chains” to regain its freedom, citing Argentina’s political shift as a model. She placed the administration of Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum in the same category as nations internationally criticized for eroding civil rights and lacking electoral transparency.

The Madrid leader’s comments come amid heightened diplomatic tensions between Spain and Mexico. Relations have been strained since Sheinbaum’s inauguration, to which Spain’s King Felipe VI was not invited. While Ayuso’s stance does not represent the official position of the Spanish government, her remarks risk further damaging historical and economic ties between the two countries.

Ayuso used the event to reinforce her alignment with the U.S. Republican Party’s MAGA movement, presenting herself as a leading voice for the Hispanic right in the United States. She reaffirmed support for Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado and announced that the Community of Madrid will award its International Medal to the United States, which she called the “beacon of the free world,” coinciding with the U.S. 250th independence anniversary.

Analysts view Ayuso’s speech as part of a strategy to build an international profile through a “parallel diplomacy” that prioritizes ideological battles over institutional stability, creating a clear divide with left-wing governments on both sides of the Atlantic.