Spain’s President Pedro Sanchez tests Covid positive, to skip G20 Summit in Delhi

President of Spain, Pedro Sanchez announced on Thursday that he has tested Covid positive and will not be attending G20 Summit in New Delhi. Economy Minister Nadia Calvino and Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares will represent Spain at the summit that is set to begin on September 9, the government said in a statement.

Spanish President to not attend G20 Summit

President Sanchez shared a post on his X (Twitter) handle where he wrote “This afternoon I have tested positive for COVID and will not be able to travel to New Delhi for the G20 Summit. I feel fine. Spain will be magnificently represented by the First Vice President and Minister of Economic Affairs and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, EU and Cooperation,”

Spain is not a part of the G20 grouping but India had sent invite to the Spanish nation to attend the G20 Summit in New Delhi. Other than Spain, India had also sent invites to other non-G20 members including Bangladesh, Egypt, Mauritius, Netherlands, Nigeria, Oman, Singapore, and the United Arab Emirates, as guests.

Pedro Sanchez now joins the likes of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping as the third world leader to withdraw from the summit.

US First Lady tests COVID-19 negative

Meanwhile, the First Lady of the United States, Jill Biden tested negative for COVID-19 on Thursday after she tested positive on Monday, the First Lady’s office said.

“This evening, the First Lady tested positive for COVID-19. She is currently experiencing only mild symptoms. She will remain at their home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware,” her communications director Elizabeth Alexander said in a statement on September 4.

President Joe Biden also tested negative for COVID-19, and he has now departed from the US to India for the G20 Summit In New Delhi from September 9 and 10. Moreover, Biden is also set to travel from New Delhi to Hanoi, Vietnam on September 10.