Imminent pact. Cracking nerves. The incidents recorded the night before last in Madrid in the protests against the amnesty have left a climate of unrest and destabilization in the capital of Spain. Madrid is a city accustomed to political noise for centuries, in such a way that it has adapted its hearing to more or less constant anger. That ear knows how to distinguish noises that contain something new. And the sound of the last few hours has raised concern. The extreme right is attacking.
Vox is not dead, and an asteroid belt of various sizes orbits around it. The polarization that the Spanish right has taken to extreme limits in the last twenty years – it all began in 2004 – has generated a magma that is now impossible to discipline, although everyone respects a figure who transmits authority to them: José María Aznar, a gentleman of the face. Grave at the funeral of the Count of Orgaz.
The general mobilization against the amnesty began to be formulated by Aznar at the beginning of September when he proposed a new Basta Ya movement. The former president was furious at the winks that Alberto Núñez Feijóo's entourage had begun to send to Junts, on an exploratory mission. The deputy general secretary of the PP, Esteban González Pons, stood out in that mission.
First act. Rally-demonstration in Plaza Felipe II in Madrid on the eve of the failed investiture of Núñez Feijóo. Thousands of people. Family atmosphere. “Puigdemont to prison” was the slogan chanted with greatest dedication and passion.
Second act. Aznar's call for permanent national mobilization, a week ago: “Whoever can make him do it, whoever can contribute, let him contribute. “No one should be inhibited.” Mobilization in offices and warming up the street. Legal engineering to try to render the amnesty law useless when it is approved. General alert. Airs of national strike, without work stoppages. After a few hours, the conservative sector of the General Council of the Judiciary was already mobilizing. After four days, the judge of the National Court Manuel García-Castellón charged Carles Puigdemont and Marta Rovira with an alleged crime of terrorism in the framework of the investigation into the Democratic Tsunami. The prosecution of both for terrorism could hinder the application of the amnesty and facilitate complaints to the European Union.
The Popular Party works on all fronts, and yesterday the Commissioner for Justice of the European Commission, Didier Reynders, a Belgian liberal, who on previous occasions has aligned himself with the position of the Spanish conservatives, asked the Government in a letter for “detailed information” on the amnesty project. A bill that does not yet exist, since it is the subject of a sleepless negotiation in Brussels between the PSOE, Puigdemont and the Junts leading group.
Move heaven and earth. In heaven, the PP will try to obtain a statement from the European Commission that can be read as a wake-up call to Sánchez and his Government. It is not an easy objective to achieve, since there are important European governments that view with sympathy a greater pacification of the Catalan issue and contemplate, even with greater satisfaction, that the extreme right does not govern in Spain.
On earth, the Popular Party has called rallies in front of town halls across the country next Saturday at twelve noon. On earth, however, there are other forces interested in gaining visibility in times of tension. There is Vox – the renewed Vox leadership group – and its satellites, more or less autonomous, more or less Falangist, more or less squadron.
Demonstrations were called in front of the PSOE headquarters and there was, on Saturday, Esperanza Aguirre, inviting the protesters to invade the road. “He who can make him do.” The former president of the Community of Madrid became a sponsor of the demonstrations in Ferraz. On Monday there were more people, and on Tuesday the situation got out of hand. Ultra groups shouted against the King, displayed banners against the Constitution and sought confrontation with the Police.
The right lost control of that battering ram and Núñez Feijóo did not have the reflexes to condemn the outbreak of violence at the time it was occurring. Cuca Gamarra, parliamentary spokesperson, began correcting at one in the morning on Wednesday. Feijóo still had no reflexes and yesterday mid-morning Isabel Díaz Ayuso made a colorful overtake on the left. The president of Madrid not only condemned the violent acts, but also called for the arrest of the ultras involved in them. Feijóo, finally, condemned the incidents, with a few adversaries: the fault would always be Sánchez's.
The Basque Lehendakari Iñigo Urkullu yesterday asked the Popular Party to call off the mobilizations against the amnesty because "they are becoming an excuse to generate hatred, resentment and violence." Former president Felipe González has issued a video in which he asks for serenity and restraint. In the same recorded message, González reiterates his opposition to the amnesty and suggests that Sánchez go to new elections with the intention of winning them.
Sánchez went to Ferraz yesterday to encourage the militants and employees of the PSOE. “There will be a government soon,” he told them. At night, another demonstration in front of the socialist headquarters, less crowded, more contained.
