The general secretary of EH Bildu, Arnaldo Otegi, stated this Monday that "there is an interest on the part of the far right to capitalize on the events in Ceuta" and reiterated that he is "absolutely against" the gatherings called for September 2 in support of the Autonomous City. He emphasized that "those gatherings in Euskal Herria will be absolutely minority and will pass without pain or glory."
In an appearance before the media in Pamplona, after the meeting of the Political Table of EH Bildu, Otegi explained that they are listening to "some concerning speeches" and wondered if "international law exists." In this regard, he demanded that "if international law exists, it should be applied. It should also be applied in this case and there is no more debate on this issue."
At the same time, he raised the question of whether "in what has happened in Ceuta, in addition to a migratory phenomenon, there are more things," and maintained that indeed "there are more things." In this sense, he asked "let's not lose sight of that either."
The abertzale leader emphasized that "from the Vatican to the left positions we must defend that international law is applied and that minors are protected," although he warned that, even fulfilling these premises, the conflict will not be tackled at its root, "because this problem is only fought if an unjust economic order and an international order without rules are fought." He recalled that "every day, today as well, more than 15,000 children under five years old are going to die on this planet due to lack of drinking water. Until that international economic order is fought, these problems will not be resolved."
Otegi added that "fighting that unjust order from a political formation like Bildu, with all the humility in the world, is to recover socialist principles, democratic principles, and principles of human rights defense." He also pointed out that "there we are, from the left positions, it would also be worth remembering the devout Catholics for example from Nafarroa, the Pope who is installed in the Vatican," in order to make "a defense of human beings, the defense of socialist principles, the defense of a fairer economic order." And he concluded that "as long as that is not the case, the problems will not have a solution. And we will contribute in that direction to the extent of our small possibilities."