Pere Aragonès has spent the celebration of Sant Jordi with a coat of arms of the Generalitat and a yellow rose on the lapel of his jacket. Years ago, this color for this flower was a symbol of infidelity. Quim Monzó recorded this in the story Two bouquets of roses. But at some indeterminate moment its meaning changed to end up being proof of friendship and joy, even reconciliation. In Catalonia, however, there was a parenthesis: the yellow rose, as of 2018, became a show of support for the imprisoned pro-independence leaders and those who left to avoid the action of the Spanish justice system. This Diada, the president, for one reason or another, has also taken it to refer to the clarity agreement and defend it. From the Palau de la Generalitat and on Instagram.
This commitment by the President of the Generalitat to establish the bases of a Catalan referendum proposal is now at the center of the controversy. It is the way that ERC presents to put an end to the political conflict. The rest of the independence movement does not support it. Nor, far from it, the Moncloa. Félix Bolaños, Minister of the Presidency, described it on Friday as "electoralist" and a "trap."
Aragonès has responded to him in Sant Jordi. He has been one of the few who have stepped foot beyond the intrinsically drawn line to mark a truce between politicians. "Democracy and voting is never a trap." And, like the minister, he has seen electoralism, but in the landing of ministers in Barcelona for Sant Jordi. “To the members of other institutions, governments and politicians who visit us today, I recommend that they listen to the public and that they always listen to it, not only on Sant Jordi day. That is what the clarity agreement talks about”, stressed the president in a message also addressed to Alberto Nuñez Feijóo, who also enjoyed the day in the Catalan capital.
The proximity of the municipal elections has favored this landing. Also that there has gone from a deeply rarefied and uncomfortable climate last year due to the revelations of espionage with Pegasus to some sixty people related to the independence movement, to a slightly more relaxed atmosphere yesterday. In 2022, only Miquel Iceta was in Barcelona on behalf of the socialist ministers. This weekend José Manuel Albares and Félix Bolaños have been added.
There has been a truce, even within the pro-independence sphere. Pere Aragonès has been in the street for a while talking to Dolors Feliu, president of the ANC. Or remove within the same space, like Junts. Xavier Trias has passed through the tent of his candidacy "with the good part of JxCat, as we say" -according to two boys with pink paths-, that is, Jaume Giró, Damià Calvet and Victòria Alsina, next to the books on display at the sale of Carles Puigdemont, Quim Torra and Laura Borràs.
The independence demands continue, but, to highlight the contrast, it must be remembered that Bolaños had to travel the day after, a Sunday, after the previous festival of Sant Jordi to meet with the Minister of the Presidency, Laura Vilagrà, concerned about rebuilding trust. with the Generalitat.
In any case, the mere presence in the streets is already an electoral campaign. It has not been noticed so much in the interventions before the press. Feijóo intends to strengthen "the great consensus that Catalan constitutionalism supposes." That is why he believes that a "spirit of comeback" of the PP in Catalonia is key, very much in line with the spirit of Juanito that Real Madrid fans turn to. On Saturday he fired in another direction and delved into the wound of the division in the Government by the law of only yes is yes.
The answer has come from Iceta: "I would recommend Mr. Feijóo to work a little more and make an effort if he wants to have a good result in the elections."
A few meters from Feijóo, Bolaños could be seen walking accompanied by Salvador Illa. For the minister, Sant Jordi was not the day to throw the dishes at someone's head either. "The Government of Spain fills us with satisfaction to see how Barcelona is enjoying this great party (...), today there is joy, the desire to live, culture and enjoy life."
Ada Colau and Yolanda Díaz have taken this desire to flee reproach to the extreme. The minister exclaimed "long live Sant Jordi, long live the letters, long live the books" to refuse to answer questions of political overtones. "We will not talk about anything other than Sant Jordi", the mayoress has helped her.
There has been a political truce. Tomorrow, all to the mud. On the day of April 23, the orange balloons of Ciudadanos no longer dominate. Yes, many blues have been seen. Demòcrates de Catalunya, not the PP. And yellow for infidelity is no longer in style. In its place, near the Col·legi de Periodistes, the self-published book Shicret was sold. How to be unfaithful without getting caught, and in the Portal de l'Àngel some students were selling roses to the sound of Give me back my girl, by Hombres G.
