Massive Protest Erupts in Spain: Public Outrage Against Proposed Amnesty for Catalan Separatists Soars!
Massive Madrid rally opposes granting amnesty to Catalan separatists, amid concerns of political maneuvering by acting PM Sanchez to cling onto power after his electoral defeat
Tens of thousands of Spaniards gathered in Madrid on Sunday to express their opposition to acting Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's potential plans of granting amnesty to Catalan separatists in order to retain his position after the election he was unsuccessful in winning. Supporters of the opposition conservative Peoples Party (PP) convened from various parts of Spain, proudly waving Spanish flags. The crowd's estimated size by authorities stood at approximately 40,000.
Sanchez, the runner-up in the July election, has the opportunity to retain his position as long as he secures the backing of Carles Puigdemont, the former leader of Catalonia who is currently in exile. Puigdemont's party, Junts per Catalunya, holds seven seats in parliament.
In order for Puigdemont to offer his support, he has insisted that any legal repercussions against other separatists must be dismissed.
Thousands of Spaniards took to the streets of Madrid Sunday.
Alberto Nunez Feijoo, the leader of the PP party, who secured the highest number of votes on July 23, categorically rejected any possibility of granting amnesty to those responsible for organizing the Catalonia independence referendum in 2017. Despite legal rulings declaring the referendum as illegal, Feijoo stood firm against any such concessions.
At the Madrid rally, he informed his supporters that withdrawing criminal cases against the separatists would be equivalent to granting amnesty to individuals involved in plotting a coup. 72-year-old pensioner Gregorio Casteneda made the journey from Santander, located on Spain's north coast, to express his resistance to such an amnesty.
"I oppose the current government we have as it poses a potential disaster, ultimately dividing Spain," he expressed to Reuters.
On Sunday, Sanchez conducted his own political gathering in Gava, in close proximity to Barcelona, the regional capital of Catalonia. While he did not specifically address amnesty, he emphasized the Socialists' aim to mend the social rifts stemming from the Catalan crisis.
"We are trying to turn the page," he told supporters.
In 2021, Sanchez granted pardons to nine separatists jailed over their roles in the independence push.
Feijoo is scheduled to make the initial attempt towards becoming the prime minister on September 27th, however, his chances of success are considered low due to the PP's opposition to any compromises with separatists. In case Feijoo is unsuccessful, Sanchez will then have an opportunity to gauge his ability to gather support.
