Cuban-born academic Rainer Rubira García, dean of the Faculty of Communication Sciences at Rey Juan Carlos University (URJC) in Madrid, found himself at the center of a controversy after releasing an institutional letter in which he rejected the presence of Argentine President Javier Milei at the university.
The controversy arose during the president's visit to the Vicálvaro campus, where he participated on Wednesday, October 21, in the opening of the X Annual Madrid Conference on Austrian Economics.
According to a report by ICN Diario, Rubira García severely criticized the Argentine president in a message sent to the faculty with the subject "Dean's Letter: Javier Milei's visit to the URJC."
In the document, the academic argued that the faculty had an ethical and professional obligation to reject Milei's presence, accusing him of resorting to "mockery, polarization, and hate speech."
"The chainsaw is not a symbol of understanding, but of aggression," stated the dean in reference to one of the main political symbols of the Argentine president.
He also questioned Milei's relationship with the press and the cultural sector, considering that his attacks against journalists and certain artistic expressions were incompatible with the values that, in his view, the university should uphold.
They question the use of the university's official channels
The statements sparked criticism within the academic community, particularly due to the use of institutional communication to express a political stance.
The letter raised questions among academic sources consulted by El Cierre Digital, who criticized the use of the university's official channels to express rejection of Milei without prior debate in the Faculty Board.
Critics believe that the rejection should have been presented as a personal stance of the academic and not as a statement attributable to the institution.
However, there is no record that the university has officially determined that the dean committed any administrative irregularity.
Rubira García holds a degree in Social Communication from the University of Havana, where he also worked as a professor. He later developed his academic career in Spain, where he earned his doctorate and became the dean of the Faculty of Communication Sciences at URJC in April 2026.
Student protests during Milei's visit
The presence of the Argentine president also sparked demonstrations outside the campus.
According to EFE agency, hundreds of students gathered with banners, whistles, and flags to express their opposition to the president and his policies.
Among the chants, "Milei, fascist, you're on our list!" could be heard, while university groups demanded that his participation be canceled.
On the other hand, OKDiario collected testimonies from students who defended the right to attend the conference, regardless of their political preferences, and reported difficulties in accessing certain facilities.
Despite the protests and the dean's expressed opposition, Milei participated in the academic meeting, where he defended his economic ideas and thanked the university for hosting him.
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