Hundreds of protesters are marching at this hour through the center of Madrid to protest against the “corrupt and traitorous Government” of Pedro Sánchez and to demand early general elections. Among countless Spanish flags, attendees carry banners with slogans such as “Resignation of the socialist mafia” and launch proclamations such as “Sánchez, son of a bitch!” or “Sánchez, go to Venezuela!” The “March for Dignity”, Convened by the Spanish Civil Society association – made up of a hundred entities that have already joined together on several occasions to charge in the streets against President Sánchez –, it was planned to be related to the Venezuelan airline Plus Ultra.
But the decision of the judge of the National Court, José Luis Calama, has marked a protest in which there has been representation from Vox, PP and Se Acabó la Fiesta. “Zapatero will end up in jail. And we will see Sánchez,” commented one of the protesters in the crowd. Their president, Santiago Abascal, and other members of the formation have attended on behalf of the ultras; and on the PP side, leaders such as the spokesperson in the Senate, Alicia García, as well as other deputies and senators; and SALF leader, Alvise Pérez. The commission agent Víctor de Aldama, who has been in great demand among attendees to take a photo with him, has also appeared.
The march began at 10:30 in the Plaza de Colón and is scheduled to end at the Moncloa arch around 12:30, after the protesters pass through streets in the center of Madrid such as Génova, Sagasta and Princesa. At the head there are leaders of Spanish Civil Society, such as Marcos de Quinto, and politicians such as Vox MEP Juan Carlos Girauta and the former president of the Community of Madrid Esperanza Aguirre. “Corruption has a price, no more impunity, elections now,” is the inscription on the canvas that guides the march. Vox has a strong presence at the demonstration: it has set up its own tent and also carries another large canvas as a secondary header. “Getting rid of Sánchez is also a national priority,” reads their banner.
At the beginning, Abascal announced that his party has requested provisional prison for Zapatero, since the party is part of the private accusation in the case, and also the summoning of several ministers as witnesses. “There are already too many presumptions of innocence. Nobody believes that Sánchez is not behind it,” said the leader of Vox, who has tried to divert the issue of the motion of censure so as not to “cloud this demonstration.” Of course, he has left a hidden message to the PP. “Everyone does what they can with the instruments at their disposal,” said Abascal, who does not have the minimum number necessary for his parliamentary group to present its own motion of censure, as the Popular Party does. “It is in my power to go to court,” he declared.
A few minutes before Abascal’s statements, the PP spokesperson in the Senate, Alicia García, spoke to the media. In the Upper House, where they have an absolute majority and control the parliamentary times and agenda, the popular ones identified by the judge as an “essential operational piece” of the alleged plot, in addition to other figures related to the alleged network.
“We are missing four votes,” García insisted on the possibility of presenting a motion of censure or not. His group can register it in Congress, but Alberto Núñez Feijóo reiterates that it would not prosper because he only has the favor of his party and Vox. “At this moment we are not going to give a victory to Pedro Sánchez with a failed motion, in no case,” added the spokesperson in the Senate. And it has transferred the pressure to the partners. “They will know if they want to continue being tied to the corruption of the Government, to the corruption sanchistaor if they want to separate, isolate themselves in some way, because they have been supporting the corruption of this Government,” he stressed. And he has expressed that, with the lifting of the summary, which is expected in the coming days, they will continue to pace the steps of their parliamentary offensive.
