The President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, appeared this Wednesday from La Moncloa to respond to Donald Trump, after he requested “cutting all relations with Spain” and a possible embargo. “No to war”, has been the slogan used by the Spanish leader to refer to the current situation, recalling the phrase that citizens pushed when they entered the Iraq war.
In the institutional appearance from La Moncloa, Sánchez warned that no one knows with certainty what will happen now or what exactly the objectives of those who initiated the attack will be. “We have to prepare for a long war“he noted, underlining the seriousness of a conflict that threatens to further destabilize the international order.
“No to war”
The head of the Executive has been blunt when defining the Spanish position: “Spain’s position is no to war.” As he explained, the Government defends this as the fundamental principle of its action, in the same way as it has done in other scenarios such as Ukraine or Gaza. “The world cannot speak with the language of violence,” he said, insisting that “one illegality cannot be responded to with another.”
Sánchez has also expressed the solidarity of the Spanish people with the countries that have suffered attacks by Iran and with the civilian populations affected by the escalation. At the same time, it has reiterated the rejection of the Iranian regime for the repression it exercises on its citizensbut made it clear that “this condemnation does not imply supporting the military route as a solution to the conflict.” “We repudiate the repression, but we reject this war and ask for a peaceful resolution,” he said.
Memories of Iraq
In his speech, the president recalled precedents such as the Iraq war, promoted years ago by another US government and supported by the so-called Azores trio. That intervention, he stated, “left us with a worse and more insecure world” and contributed to the increase in the terrorist threat. “We do not know if this war will be similar, but it will not bring a more just international order“he said.
The president has warned of the economic consequences that are already beginning to be seen, with volatility in the markets and the risk of greater global uncertainty. In this sense, it has announced that the Government is working to evacuate and protect Spanish citizens in the affected area, as well as to adopt measures to mitigate the economic impact of the crisis on the Spanish markets. “Spain has the necessary resources to face this situation, as we have done on other occasions,” he noted.
Peace Partners
Sánchez has highlighted that The Executive will collaborate with all countries that advocate peace and respect for international law and will work with European partners to deliver a joint response. Likewise, he has confirmed that Spain demands the immediate cessation of hostilities against the United States, Iran and Israel. “And yes, the word is demand, because we are a country that is part of the European Union, NATO and the international community,” he said bluntly.
“The Government is with those who have to be: with the fundamental principles of the European Union, with international law and with peace,” he continued. “Great wars usually begin due to miscalculations and It is essential to learn from history so as not to play Russian roulette with the lives of millions of people“.
The president defended that the Spanish position “is not naive, but coherent” with the values that the country upholds in all international settings. “It is naive to think that the solution comes from violence,” he stated, demanding a foreign policy oriented towards diplomacy and shared prosperity. “More war benefits a few; more peace and more prosperity benefits everyone,” Sánchez concluded with a slogan: “In times like this, we feel more proud than ever to be Spanish.”
