The Minister of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration and spokesperson for the Executive, Elma Saiz, has criticized the president of the PP, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, for "fostering hate" by blaming the head of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, for "setting the streets on fire" after the recent disturbances recorded in Barcelona and Bilbao.
In the appearance following the Council of Ministers this Tuesday, Saiz has demanded "responsibility" from political leaders in light of the episodes of violence and, without directly mentioning the leader of the opposition, has warned him that "never" can one "foster hate" as a result of incidents of this nature.
"Some of us are responsible, others with some statements are not," the minister has pointed out, referring to the statements of the PP leader, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, who this Sunday, at a pre-campaign event in Salamanca, linked Sánchez to the disturbances in Barcelona and claimed that since the socialists "have lost the streets, they want to set them on fire."
The spokesperson has reiterated the need to "let the State Security Forces and Corps work" in the ongoing investigations, avoiding commenting on whether there could be any foreign interference behind these violent episodes in various Spanish cities.
Saiz has condemned the "vandalistic and violent acts" of recent days both in Barcelona and in Bilbao. "In democracy, violence has no place," she emphasized, defending a "categorical" and "uncompromising" condemnation of these events. "We cannot remain indifferent," she added.
Investigations into networks and active police devices
In the same vein, government sources indicate that investigations have been opened to clarify the origin of these violent actions, which are being analyzed by the Mossos d'Esquadra in Catalonia and by the Ertzaintza in Bilbao. They also emphasize that the major digital platforms show a good disposition to collaborate in tracking the origin of the calls disseminated on social media.
In light of the possible extension of incidents in other places in Spain, in Moncloa they maintain that there are devices prepared to face new disturbances and acknowledge that the initial protests took them by surprise.
In Barcelona, the concentration had authorization to demonstrate for the situation of public education, but it led to episodes of vandalism. For this reason, the State Security Forces and Corps are working with the hypothesis that some calls with a declared objective may actually be a cover to provoke disturbances.
Political tension and cross accusations in the midst of the pre-campaign
Regarding the effect of these events on the pre-campaign, the Executive interprets that the PP seeks to shift the focus of the debate from issues such as housing and pensions to this matter, especially after this Tuesday the popular leader, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, promised that he will guarantee "order and security" if he reaches La Moncloa.
At that same event in Madrid, the number two on the list for Congress, Cayetana Álvarez de Toledo, pointed directly at Sánchez as an instigator of violence by stating that he already has "his own kale borroka." From the Government, they describe this accusation as "nonsense."
The socialists maintain that citizens do not like to see their political representatives "fostering hatred" and perceive the PP as particularly uneasy in the face of Sánchez's campaign strategy of "smiles, dances, and kisses."