Zapatero and Rajoy: meeting to be united?

Probably, you are thinking “hmm, why she hasn’t written about the meeting about the end of the ETA’s ceasefire?“. Well, the reality is that I do not know what to make of it. Rajoy went to see Zapatero at Moncloa’s Palace. Zapatero, even if it’s normal to do so, did not walk down the stairs to greet him, but stayed in the door, till Rajoy reached him.Before the meeting Zapatero had told in a TV interview that he “considers that he has the “moral authority” to ask the Popular Party for its support because he supported a lot the Government when he was in opposition“. That is really striking specially considering that pro-Socialist newspaper El País published an article in which they confirmed that Basque Socialists had been negotiating with ETA since 2002. So while Zapatero was signing the Antiterrorist Pact with Aznar.

Zapatero’s loyalty to anti-terrorist pact (Montoro para la Razón):

 

Zapatero: “Uy, I am going to get my pen, it has fallen again“.

 

Aznar: “This is the 25th time it has fallen. You look like an idiot, José Luis“.

 

ETA terrorist under the table: “I would much more say that he is too clever by half“.

The situation in Basque Country is so grave that the negotiators with ETA have begun to use the services of bodyguards, something that they have never needed.

Of course, international press has mentioned the support Rajoy stated, after the meeting. And the happiness of the socialists who thought he was going to maintain his tough stance.

So, why I do not know what to make of it? The lack of any kind of information about what happened in the meeting. Terrorism is a matter of national security, but also of citizens’ security. I want to know the ideas and why a change of them. Anything was cleared afterwards. And socialists are beginning to claim that ETA should not be named as if nothing happened.

But the question is: is there really a change in Zapatero’s ideas? Last informations are that he wants an agreement with Nafarroa Bai (Nationalists from Navarra and supporters of Batasuna-ANV, the ETA political party). This would not be the first Nafarroa Bai-Socialists agreement as José Ramón Martínez Benito has just acepted Nafarroa’s votes in Sartaguda, city in which UPN (PP backed) won the elections but failed to have an absolute majority.

The reality is that ETA has, in its hands, the result of next Spanish elections, something that was totally predictable following the breaking of Antiterrorist Pact and the ETA’s negotiation:

The duplicity that implies having supported the meetings between Eguiguren -the wife beater, must I add-Otegui, while promoting the Antiterrorist Pact which implicitly forbid them and expressly obliged the undersigning parts to informed each other about them, opens severe doubts about the credibility and honour of the president, not in a moral level -we are not asking that from the politicians at this stage! [*]- but in the simple eficiency level in administration where we have to judge Zapatero.As Ignacio Camacho writes for ABC, “we are in the worst of all posibilities”:

ETA is in the center of the stage, lord of the initiative and of the timings. We do not know if it’s stronger than before, but our State is less strong, as it is not united.

And as an important proof of that statement, Camacho writes that, from last Tuesday, when ETA made public the end of the ceasefire, the major states of both the main parties were doing polls about who is going to be the first probable victim of ETA.

Well, Camacho does not take into account that the statement that ETA is now more powerful has been repeated throughout the last days. The last one to say that has been Mesquida, General Director of Spanish Police and Civil Guard. There is even a report that says there are more than 70 not-filed-by-police members and that they can have more than 2.000 kilos of explosive. It also confirms the possibility of a high-profile terrorist attack.

ETA had plans to attack Almería’s airport, according to the documents police obtained from Donosti commando. The past elections showed that Popular Party allied with Almería’s Independent Group had again won the elections.

I’m going to be implacable. This is not the moment to blame anyone for anything… [Zapatero=Mr.Bean says]

Is he really going to be? I doubt it…Related news:
ETA terrorist detained in Mexico.
France extradites ETA terrorist Cortázar Pipaón.
Police is investigating if the fire in a garage in Barakaldo was produced by “kale borroka“. 80 families had to leave their houses because of danger for their lifes.
An online newspaper has reported Sarkozy considers ETA a French and European problem and that he was really angry with Zapatero when he came to Spain some weeks ago. But in Spain they reported that he has told this was only an Spanish problem. So, ehh, what version is true?

[*] I think that‘s the real problem of Spanish democracy: instead of pursuing elevated moral principles -without imposing them on nobody, just because it’s the correct thing to do-, we are just not asking them from the politicians, who are, in general, a total mess and shameful group. The reality is that there are not many to choose. 😦

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Zp and Cuba

LOS DISIDENTES: ZP, the criminal dictator’s defender. – Blog Sevilla. Opina sobre tu Ayuntamiento. -I translate, original post in Spanish-

PSOE has rejected, with the help of the radical left, a proposition defended by Popular Party, Convergence and Union (Catalan Nationalists), Basque Nationalist Party and Canarian Coalition, in which the latter defended the support for the statement “Unity for freedom” promoted by the main leaders of the Cuban democratic oposition. The debate again has underlined the alliance between Zapatero’s Government and the Comunist regime and his total contempt for the Cuban people who are risking their lifes in their fight for freedom and democracy.
Sevilla, with Socialist Major, is one of the cities that contribute more to the Cuban regime.
Some days ago, when Condoleeza Rice came to Spain, she defended the need to boost the contacts with dissidents to seek for a democratic solution to the Castro-ist regime and she only found, the deafness, or to say more accurately, the hostility of our Government.
Doing so, PSOE puts itself openly, not only against USA, but also again the Human Rights and common sense, and our basic international alliances, which are the democracies of this world, and not the Bolshevik  last resorts, even when our President prefers them in a folk sentimental way.

 Prevost links to PP MP Moragas who says that the motion was lost only for 8 votes. Moragas adds:

Each day there are more MPs and parlamentarian groups which support the Cuban freedom and in the end we will succeed in giving, from Spanish Parliament, the support that Caribbean Perle’s democrats merit.

Hmm, so Zapatero is again doing the contrary to what Aznar said. Aznar was, with Nathan Sharansky and Vaclav Havel, the organiser of a conference in Prague about dissidence and peace. In it, they defended a hard policy towards Cuba in order to support Human Rights and democracy:

“There is an appeasement policy towards Cuba“, said the Czech President and ex-dissident himself. “This conference should send a message to EU leaders: this is not the way“.
Aznar reminded that his Government incited a Common Position reached in 1996, with which the EU asks Havana to respect Human Rights and to do some changes towards democracy.
For Aznar, with this Agreement, Europe said: “nothing in Cuba without dissidents“.

You can read what Gateway Pundit wrote about the conference, in which dissidents from all the world (Iran, Bolivia, Russia, Sudan, Iraq….) spoke about their experiences. They agreed that Human Rights are not only for some people but for all.

Related news:

Cuba is wanting to meddle in the Colombian internal affairs. From EldiarioExterior.com: Cuba wants FARC leader Granda to live in Cuba if that’s good for the peace process -each time I hear that words, I get worried-. Pérez Novoa said that Cuba “always has supported peace processes -while killing and mistreating/torturing dissidents- and “that because of the respect Cuba has for Colombian internal affairs, they are at his disposition“.

Chávez and democracy.

“Democracy is government of the people,” Chavez said. “I think if
we’re going to compare the extent of power that the people have,
without a doubt Cuba is more of a democracy than the United States.”

“In Cuba there is no child that isn’t in school, no sick person who isn’t tended to,” Chavez said.

So after the Venezuelan VP said they wanted to impose the “dictatorship of democracy“, now Chávez wants to equate the people’s Government with education and health. That’s a marvellous logic.

Despite his admiration of Cuba, Chavez denied that Venezuela’s emerging socialist system is being modeled after the island’s. “We’re in the middle of building it, like an artist painting a picture,” Chavez said.”We aren’t copying anything.”

[…] Chavez shares Castro’s affinity for hours-long speeches and spontaneity. During the four-hour drive, Chavez abruptly broke away from his motorcade at one point, saying he wanted a glimpse of the Apure River swollen by rains – “a magic river,” he called it.

When he stopped his Toyota (nyse: TM – news– people)4Runner at National Guard checkpoints, troops snapped to attention and saluted, reciting Castro’s trademark slogan, now adopted by Chavez:

“Socialism or death!”

h/t Fausta.

But Chávez has not been the only one visiting Castro. Evo Morales also has gone.

Both Chávez and Morales spoke with Castro about energy and environment, but of course, not a word about Human Rights…

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De Juana, in Aranjuez’s prison (UPDATED)

His return to Aranjuez, prison in which he was till March 1st, happens a day after the ETA’s announcement of the end to ceasefire. The terrorist band’s statement has not been alien to the measure applied to De Juana,who only a week ago was asking to be freed and go back to his house in a soft prison regime which had been granted to him last February.
But yesterday, after ETA’s statement was known, Interior Minister, Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba, assured that De Juana “in any case” was going to be given the soft prison-home regime, as has been speculated this last days.

ABC.es – De Juana Chaos ingresa en prisión al desaparecer “el riesgo para su vida”.

The Interior Minister has tols to leftist Radio Cadena SER, this Wednesday: “Circumstances have changed”. That is they have changed again. They changed when the State General Prosecutor asked his subordinates to take into account “the new situation” about ETA dialogue. And now they also change –but not 6 months ago, with the murder of Palate and Estacio–, because of the [supposed] pacts’ end. The minister Bermejo spoke in advance about this last change and Rubalcaba has confirmed it, sending De Juana back to prison. The T-4 terrorist attack [where both Palate and Estacio were killed] was no more than a “tragic accident” for the Government.

Libertad Digital: Rubalcaba justifica el regreso a prisión de De Juana: “Las circunstancias han cambiado”

The main problem is they are not underlining, not even telling us, what circumstances have changed now. That without considering that laws are not changed only by a change in circumstances. There are procedures to be met to change them.

But for the Government and Socialist party, the culprits are not ETA terrorists -who are no more than poor communists a little bit confused- nor the Government -who has been kissing their asses repeatedly for the last year-. The culprit, of course, is the Popular Party, that is the only one who opposed to the ETA’s negotiation.

At the same time, Real Madrid has asked for special security measures. Something very clever specially considering what is the area in which it’s more probable to have a terrorist attack now.

Jesús Cacho in El Confidencial.com:

ETA has not surprised anyone. Who has again surprised till the shame has been Rodríguez Zapatero. According to his statement this morning [he is writing about yesterday’s statement by the President], ETA is again wrong, not him. Without any autocritic, without any kind of rectification or correction intent, his statement has all the ingredients of the so-called “Alicia way-of-thinking” [this is a line of thought which is referred to Alicia in Wonderland]: “Spanish society has shown that its pain does not weaken its strength” And??? Even more serious than anything, because it shows the precarious intellect of the President, is when he says “Basques future depends on themselves”, an statement which makes dissapear something so elemental as is, according Spanish Constitution’78, that the sovereignty of Spanish nation resides in the Spanish people as a whole and not in Basques, Galicians or people from Murcia considered isolated from the rest.

So it would be ALL Spanish people the ones who, as the holders of Spanish sovereignty, the ones who should say what they want to do with Spain, Basque Country included. It’s obvious that Zapatero has not given to the terrorist band everything the latter demanded, because if not, we would be speaking about Basque’s independence. But it is equally obvious that the independence was the final step of this negotiation, the target that the band wanted to acquire as they decided to attend all the calls that Zapatero’s aides gave them since the moment he was named President. And it is obvious that the band has not abandoned any of its objectives, has not renounced to violence, has continued demanding the revolutionary tax, defying the State of Law, rearming itself…

Prevost: ZP The Hard: Chaos comes back to Madrid.

Batiburrillo:

As it’s normal it was a trap ceasefire, with an evident objective: rearming itself, to recover economical means and to form its integrants. The first one in pointing it out as PP ex-Interior Minister, now in European Parliament, Mayor Oreja. All the things have happened as he told since the first moment of the ceasefire: from the first one till the last. “With ETA there is no possible negotiation, this is another trap truce”, he said on several occasions. PSOE members called him names back then.

Aquiles, as ever writes a very good post about the end of the truce who really did not exist.

Pandemonio criticizes the leftist journalists (and bloggers) who do not know what to say about the truce’s end.

Outside Spain there have been bloggers who have written about the ETA’s truce’s end: EURSOC, Gateway Pundit and Outside the Beltway. The latter writes:

Interesting, as I had at one point thought that 9/11 and the 7/11 Madrid bombing might have taken the political viability out of political violence for ETA.

Well, in fact the political violence has never dissapeared: business obliged to give the revolutionary tax, the deads of the T4 terminal, the repeated attacks on PP, PSOE and Basque Nationalist Party members during past elections, all the weapons stolen from a French factory after kidnapping its owner’s family… I don’t think that’s taken the political viability out of political violence. The reason? in Zapateroland the violence gives you political strenght as a result from negotiation. Unfortunately

Victoria Prego h/t Disculpen las molestias.

Spanish people have never denied their Government its citizen support to confront murderers. And they can do it again. Another thing is the trust that Zapatero can give the citizens in this hour. He can always gain it.

For my part, it’s very difficult to support him as this stage: the term has been entirely a mess. Both international and national politics are not focused on important things, such as the next economical crisis, which could become a reality next autumn, specially caused by lower expectations related with the building market.

The trust is Zapatero is so low big at this stage that there are people considering that even the truce’s end is a result of the negotiation and that they are just preparing to stage the next step in the negotiation. Zapatero wants to win the next elections and a hard stand towards ETA now, can give him the votes he needs.

Portuguese blog O Insurgente also wrote about this.

Como se previa, de nada serviu a política de apaziguamento levada a cabo pelo governo de Zapatero. É também provável que a ETA tenha aproveitado este periodo para se reorganizar e reamar (recordam-se da armas apreendidas em França?).

“As was forseen, the appeasement policies of Zapatero were worth nothing. And it also proves that ETA has used this period for reporganising and rearming itself (do we remember the stolen weapons in France?).

There is something I should say though: I’ve been surprised because all of them called ETA terrorists by their name: TERRORISTS. Something which I must thank after reading international MSM which named them as separatists as the hardest name of all (CNN called them separatists and BBC independentists  Well, considering that Iraqi terrorists for this MSM are insurgents, I really think we can thank God for not reading they have written freedom fighters instead).

UPDATE: You should read what JM Guardia aka Barcepundit has written for Pajamas Media.

Etiquetas de Technorati: ETA’s truce’s end, De Juana Chaos, ETA, Zapatero, PSOE, Spain

Etiquetas de del.icio.us: ETA’s truce’s end, De Juana Chaos, ETA, Zapatero, PSOE, Spain

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ETA, after the ceasefire, seeks its own Twin Towers

And after ETA has said that it was ending by itself  the ceasefire, police sources are fearing a great blast and what is better than Madrid and its financial heart:

All the sources consulted by City FM related to antiterrorism fight have been very clear about what could be ETA’s next targets, “ETA would like to do an attack wuthout victims to exhibit its operative capacity and to raise the chaces of intimidation and blackmail”. Considering different informations, antiterrorism experts from the Interior and Defense Ministries have reached the same conclusion: ETA is going to attack again and perhaps imminently.

In this scenery, the Antiterrorists Forces have informed to this radio station that there are more that suspicions that ETA terrorist band will seek as a target the zone of the 4 towers in the old sport city of Real Madrid and in which the Torres Espacio burned when the Spanish selection of basketball was celebrating the triumph in the world championship of Japan. This zone of the Spanish capital is known as the “Four Towers Business Area”. This new financial district, located in the north part of the city, is one of the most important urban developments of the city: the Real Madrid sold that space for more than €450 millions in 2001. The Business Area includes 4 buildings whose height is taller than 200 meters: the SyV tour (from Sacyr Vallermoso), the Cristal Tower (from Mutua Madrileña), the new Corporative offices of  Repsol YPF and the known as Torre Espacio (from Villar Mir Group). This financial zone represents the Spanish economical power and is considered by ETA as one of the first targets in its aim to attack directly Spanish business and economical interests. Antiterrorist Forces confirm that ETA is searching for its Twin Towers.

The level of alert and vigilance in this area of Madrid will be increased in hours.

City FM Radio

Zapatero’s speech: a total rubbish. More appeasement. And a calculated ambiguity.

At the same time, that Socialist called Pepe Blanco (ironic mode on: he was missed… terribly! ironic mode off) is blaming PP about ETA’s end to ceasefire, and, of course, not blaming ETA terrorists for it:

José Blanco stated that, of the end to the negotiations, “the only culprits were the ETA terrorists”. After stating also his support for the Security Forces, Judges and prosecutors, he said his party maintains that “those who use violence should pay for it“. [Of course…]

Then, he said that “it is not a moment to reproach anything” because the most valuable instrument to face terrorists “is the unity of the democrats” and announced the Socialists are “for doing what is needed to recover unity”. But after that he blamed the PP supporters and politicians because there have been several “irresponsible statements” that “have charged against the Spanish Government”  [irresponsible to critic this Government? … don’t make me laugh…]. And he demanded Rajoy and PP not to “pursue on that path” and that they should show “loyalty”. The fight against terrorism, he said, should not be an “element of confrotnation between democrats” (oh, but PP wasn’t the extreme-far-right-dictatorial and all that?) and should not be used as an “opposition weapon“.

Of course, of course, after the electoral campaign we have had, of the Tinell pact (by which all the political parties compromised themselves not to ally never with PP) and all that, now they want to recover unity… So they can call us murderers, assasins, genocidal…. because the Iraqi war was supported by PP, and we supported PP some because of that, others not considering that. But if you are critical with their way of handling terrorism, you are considering terrorism as an “opposition weapon” and not feeling loyalty to them.

I disagree entirely, Mr Pepiño, Spanish people should be loyal to Spain and in these matters, they should be loyal to principles, such as no to the negotiation with terrorists (whoever they are) and backing the protection of the innocent citizens against the menaces of those same terrorists. If you negotiate with someone who pretends to impose his/her vision, not with reason but by force, we would be going back to the future: the past would happen again in the future. Violent people would impose their will on peaceful ones. And that is unacceptable.

[En Español]

Etiquetas de del.icio.us: ETA, terrorism, Zapatero, Spain, Eta ends ceasefire, ETA’s ceasefire

Etiquetas de Technorati: ETA, terrorism, Zapatero, Spain, Eta ends ceasefire, ETA’s ceasefire

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Zapatero wasn’t at the official parade of the Spanish Army Forces Day

Marvellous…. 

The Kings and the Minister of Defense Alonso have presided the parade of the Army Forces Day
The military parade, that is the central act of the Army Forces Day have taken place in León with the presence of the Kings, the Crown Prince and the minsiter of Defense and the abscence of the President of the Government [someone imagines that the President of the US or of France, or the English Prime Minister is not at the Army Forces parade…???]. The act began with the hommage to the flag and to the people who have given their lifes for Spain. The new things were the Tiger helicopters and the unmanned planes.
L D (EFE) First, the national hymn and the cannyons, at the same time as the offers. Then the parade, which shew a modern and well equipped Army, the Minister said -and actually believed that, something which is even more extraordinary-. In the parade there were presented the new toys of the Spanish Army, the three first Tigre (Tiger) Helicopters, 4 unmanned planes (think they are called like that, these planes have no crew inside) and the new motorised means from the Emergencies Army Unit  (UME). 

Zapatero no asistió al desfile de las Fuerzas Armadas – Andalucía CejiJunta

Some photos:

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Government sanctions Foro de Ermua for protesting against anti-terrorist policy

I have just now received this:

12.000 € OF SANCTION TO FORO ERMUA FOR PROTESTING AGAINST THE EXCARCERATION OF ETA TERRORIST IGNACIO DE JUANA AND THE PROSECUTOR’S DECISION OF NOT ACCUSING OTEGI

The sanctions were proposed more than 2 months ago, but have been notified today, May 29th, only after the elections.

Bilbao, May 30th 2007

The excarceration of De Juana and the prosecutor’s decision of not accusing Otegi of a clear crime of apology of terrorism –what obliged the Tribunal not to condemn him- provoked once again a justified reaction of popular indignation that caused several citizens’ demonstrations of protest in the Interior Ministry surroundings. The Government Delegation of Madrid has blamed the FORO ERMUA of both demonstrations and proposes 2 sanctions of 6.000 Euros for not soliciting approval for them.

These proposes of santion should be interpreted as a step further in the politics of soft hand towards ETA and of coaction and intimidation against democratic citizens who are opposed to the Government policy: the killing-freedom attitudes are inevitable when we are searching for an intermediate point between democracy and terror.

So, when the Government twists the law systematically in favour of the killers to bring them satisfaction and to maintain alive the dialogue with them (De Juana’s excarceration, the decision of stopping the accusation against Otegi, reduction of petitions of punishments for the members of ETA and of the street terrorism^[1], to ask for stopping the cause against Egunkaria, tolerance to the acts of Batasuna, the negative to illegalise ANV, etc.). But at the same time they use the law and the institutional power to try to force the citizens and associations opposed to their policies of appeasement and caving into ETA. Those are the consequences of the negotiation.

So, the proposal of 12.000€ of sanction to FORO ERMUA (association which has, on the other hand, only received 2.341,61 € from the Interior Minister) is incardinated in the strategy of negotiation and has as main objective to coerce and undermine the citizen movement to make us cease in the actions against the wiched process of dialogue and cession to ETA.  But they have failed already: whatever the efforts of ETA and Basque Government have employed, we have never ceased in speaking and now Zapatero is going to obtain the same results.

The Government should know that, the more he attacks the FORO ERMUA, the bigger will be our strength. If in the end this felony is achieved and they impose the sanction, FORO ERMUA will appeal the citizens to have enough funds to pay it and will use the rest to strengthen the citizen’s movilization against the ignominous process of dialogue, cession and pact with the terrorist band ETA. A band that has already 900 deaths in their backs, thousands of hurt people, dozens of thousands of menaced citizens and hundred of thousands of displaced [is the one] with which the General Secretary of PSOE and nowadays President of the Government prefers to dialogue better than with us: it is not that Rodríguez Zapatero treats democrats opposed to the Government as terrorists, the situation is that he treats us worst. And we are not going to tolerate.

Don’t need any comments. This is the most accurate painting of nowadays Spain. But there is something very clear: if the Government would not feel itself menaced by Foro de Ermua and other organizations, it would not act this way.

And the reason is that there are problems with the Navarra’s Government: if the Socialists at last sign a pact with Nafarroa Bai (nationalists) and ANV (Batasuna, substantially) that is not going to be very well seen in other parts of Spain. Anyway, they do not want to pact with PP because they have been insulted “and socialists also have dignity“, Zapatero dixit. WOW, ZP the noble. Don’t make me laugh…

More about todays’ session:

“The president has not answered my question. And it is so grave that he can’t answer me in a so important subject“, stated Rajoy in his second time to speak. “The majority of the Navarros want Navarra to continue existing. I’m not in favour to let UPN (PP in Navarra) govern to see what happens; I do not agree with a pact with someone, as the fist elected of Na-Bai, who wants Navarra’s independence“, stated PP leader.

Rajoy also stated that if UPN and Socialists in Navarra will reach an agreement for the next 4 years, it will guarantee that Navarra “has stability and certitude“. “I am enormously worried because the President of the Government is unable to have a judgement in this subject and to express it in this Parliament“, he concluded.

In his next time to speak, Zapatero continued with his reproaches to Rajoy. “I understand that Rajoy is now worried. But he could have done another policy related to Navarra and PSOE“, he insisted. He said that “PSOE is open to dialogue for the coexistence and integration, not for diving the Navarros and the Spanish“.

The reason of this angry revolting of the President is Madrid: not only Socialists have not won in the capital and in the Autonomous Community but also the PP’s victory has caused a crisis on PSOE: three PSOE councillors don’t want Sebastián -ZP’s candidate- to take his seat. “That the one who named him, takes his responsibility in the defeat“. Yes, please, let him take the responsibility.

For a retrospective about Sebastian, click here.

[I have corrected some errors…]

del.icio.us tags: Foro de Ermua, Zapatero, ETA, política antiterrorista, España

Technorati tags: Foro de Ermua, Zapatero, ETA, política antiterrorista, España

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Spanish elections Watch 2007: Reflections on Spanish elections

 

I honestly don’t know how I feel about the elections on Sunday…..

Spain has a  tradition: whoever wins the municipal elections, wins the generals. This would mean that by next year PSOE and Zapatero could be out. Nice.

On the other hand, there are three things that worry me, a lot:

1. The difference between PP and PSOE hasn’t really been “that” big –they have increased votes in some areas but decreased in others. I guess, we Spaniards have still to work through a lot of stuff from the past. Meaning: if you vote PSOE you are a leftist (rojo, comunista, etc) and if you vote for PP you are a fascist (facha, pro Franco, dictador, etc). Therefore, many people who have always voted left will keep on voting left and the ones who have always voted right will keep on voting right –without giving any thought to the ideas they are voting for and what those parties represent. There seem to be two extremes and people are very scared of name-calling.
2. The fact that the terrorist have won in 17 municipios. Isn’t that a big win?. I guess the reason is because half these people support ETA and the other half is just scared to death. If this split is 50/50 I am not sure. I would definitely hope it has more to do with number 2 than with number 1.
3. And finally, the huge amount of people who have decided not to vote. To me, this is almost the worst part of it all… If things are going so bad (and yes, admit it, they are) and people are not voting: what is going on in this country? Why do you prefer to watch the Formula 1 race and go to the bar for a beer, instead of making your voice heard out there?

Source: Thymoumai

Go and read the rest. Thymoumai is also an Spanish blogger writing in English. A marvellous perspective…

By the way: the Socialist candidate in Madrid, Rafael Simancas, has already announced he will not present himself again. The re-elected President of Madrid, Esperanza Aguirre, has said that he was a very honorable candidate but that he has had very little help from the Nation’s Government.

Related posts:

1. Spanish Elections Watch 2007: Autonomous Communities’ results.
2. Spanish Elections Watch 2007: Alea jacta est.
3. Spanish Elections Watch 2007 (part 4): more corruption, more violence and terrorism.
4. Spanish Elections Watch 2007 (part 3): more violence and ANV.
5. Spanish Elections Watch 2007 (part 2): agressions on PP members.
6. Spanish Elections Watch 2007.
7. Corrupsoe reloaded (part 2): Sebastián, socialist candidate to Madrid’s Majorship.
8. Corrupsoe reloaded (part 1): Ibiza connection and Arenillas.

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Spanish Elections Watch 2007: Alea jacta est (UPDATED)

Today there are elections in Spain. It’s true they are not for Government’s President but they are going to be very important.

First for Navarra. Batasuna wants Navarra to be a part of the future mega-Basque state, that they maintain is formed by Spanish Basque Country, Navarra and French Basque Country. Of course, France has always denied any claim in this respect, but the French flag is also burned by Batasuna’s thugs allongside with Spanish one.

If Unión del Pueblo Navarro (center-right) wins the election with absolute majority, this project is not going to see the light. But if they lose it, and a coalition between Socialists and Nafarroa Bai (friends of Batasuna in Navarra) wins the project will take shape.

If we go back in history, Navarra was the last kingdom to be conquered by Spanish troops in the 10’s years of the XVI in a campaign leadered by the Catholic king Ferdinand with Basque troops, mainly. Navarra had been independent throughout all the Middle Ages, and their kindgs often pledge allegiance to French kings. In fact, its kings were for a long time from the French house of Foix.

Second, Balearic islands. A bit more of the same. If PP wins the elections with absolute majority, nothing happens. If it loses to Socialists and nationalists, it will be a new step planted towards the Països Catalans state.

Balearic Islands, a Muslim pirate resort during the Middle Ages, was conquered by Aragon’s king Jaume Ist, named the Conqueror, as Catalans wanted as they thought that it was going to be a marvellous spot for merchants. As a result, they entered the Aragon’s kingdom -Catalonia was a part of it, whose leader was a Count, the Count of Barcelona, nowadays one of the titles of the king.

After that, we have to jump till the Succesion war, after the death of King Charles II, of the Austria house -the last one in fact– in 1699. In his last will, this disgraced king said that his inheritance should go, first to Archiduke Joseph Ferdinand, who died prematurely and then to Philip, duke of Anjou, and the grandson of King Luis XIV, le Roi Soleil. The other European countries, who weren’t interested in a Spanish-French empire -in fact, Spanish did not want it also – began a war.

The result of it was the peace of Utretch -by which Spain gave, among other territories, Gibraltar, for a period of 10 years, and Menorca to the English. Menorca is the second island in importance of the Balearic islands and it was reconquered after by the same Ferdinand in a campaign that was made specially to touch the balls -pardon the expression!!– of his famous cousin Louis XV, who had tried to meddle in Spanish affairs.

The Sucession war meant other thing also: the end to the Medieval “priviledges” for ones or “rights” for others. The union made by the Cathlic kings was one of the countries but not of institutions and laws. Each of them had their own privildeges. When Borbon house began reigning, they wanted a centralised state, something that were opposed to in general all the Aragon’s kingdom realms. Why? Because Borbon house wanted all of them governed by Castilla’s laws as this was going to make more agile the administrative functions in a very French position.

And Philip Vth used Spanish-French victory over troops from England, Portugal and Netherlands (the United Provinces) to impose his views by abolishing the laws who had swore the kings of Austria house.

Thirdly, for Spain itself. We will see what happens to our Nation. Mr Zapatero does not know what a Nation is and mainly consider Spain as a nation of nations.

First news include Zapatero is booed when casting his vote in Madrid’s voting station and Manuel Chavez, the president of the Autonomous Community of Andalucía, has recognised the Presidential elections could be scheduled for months before they were planned. The reason is the difficult negotiation over the budget now that the Catalonian Statute states that Catalonia has to be returned by the Central State the same amount it gives to it.

The Presidental elections could be held on Oct 28, 2007. The President Zapatero also wnats this as the polls are now a bit favorable for him (ehem) 40% PSOE and 38,8 PP. And he does not want time to change that figure.

ANV’s sympathisers (Batasuna’s party for these elections) are making fuss in Navarra and Basque Country. They have insulted several politicians, have tried to vote identificating themselves with the Basque National Identity Card, although they have been forbidden to do so. Even the Civil Guard has had to intervene in Navarra’s city of Barañaín, where some youths with an aggressive attitude wanted to storm into a voting station. They have even imposed ANV’s interventors were ANV’s electoral lists were illegalised by the Supreme Tribunal.

Yesterday, ETA sympathisers threw stones to the Government’s Delegate Office in Vitoria, and to the PP offices in Llodio. The Basque National Party in Guernika was attacked with bottles full of red painting.

Tenerife’s PSOE called by midnight to 1.800 voters to ask them to vote PSOE. The incolved candidate, Santiago Pérez, has asked for forgiveness and blamed on a manipulation of the service -they were automated– or a electronic error the calls.

The National Association of BodyGuards is in alert even if they do not know what to expect as the Government hasn’t given any information about possible risks to them:

About the agressions and menaces during the electoral campaign, the Association’s speaker, Vicente de la Cruz, has stated that they have not counted them but that they have been “numerous”. “There has been a surge in insults and provocations, something that shows the absolute freedom and the impunity this people have”. His association has asked for detentions, but the situation is evident “for all except for the one who has to do it”, he continued.

De la Cruz has denounced that “there has been an absolute permisibility” for the pro-ETA supporters, who have been the “real lords of this campaign”. “They have coerced all the candidates from PP, specially in little villages”. “there has been an important surge in the demand of bodyguards by Magistrates and politicians” since the ETA terrorist attack of Barajas’ 4th terminal (Madrid), last Dec, 30. “This is the moment in history curiously, where more bodyguards are working”, he concluded.

Today we have also known of the death of an Spanish soldier in Afghanistan:

Sergeant  -I had mistaken his rank before- Juan Antonio Abril Sánchez (photo, right) was killed at 12.40 local hour (10.10 a.m. in Spain). The 4×4 in which they were patrolling in the district of Qades, 25 km far from the city of Qala e Naw, where is based the Spanish provincial reconstruction equipment (PRT), which belongs the 4×4 to.

He was 30 years old and was born in Zaragoza -Saragossa-. He has married 8 moths ago and belonged to the Mountain Hunters Regiment “America 66” based in Pamplona (Navarra). His brother, also militar, has stated that “he lived for his job and was very proud of it”. His twin brother is also a military man.

Two other soldiers were hurt in the accident.

RIP.

PP is going to ask for the real causes of the death of Sergeant Abril Sánchez and they will demand the higher distinction for him. They also want to ask why it took 6 hours for the Ministry of Defense to report officially about his death. Before the news broke to MSM, the Defense Minister, Antonio Alonso, was at an official parade in León. Neither the Minister, not the State Military Chief , General Félix Sanz Roldán, made any statement then and they already knew it.

UPDATE!: NATO says that Sergeant Abril death has been caused by a explosive device, “during overnight operations in Afghanistan“.

Related posts:

1. Spanish Elections Watch 2007 (part 4): more corruption, more violence and terrorism.
2. Spanish Elections Watch 2007 (part 3): more violence and ANV.
3. Spanish Elections Watch 2007 (part 2): agressions on PP members.
4. Spanish Elections Watch 2007.
5. Corrupsoe reloaded (part 2): Sebastián, socialist candidate to Madrid’s Majorship.
6. Corrupsoe reloaded (part 1): Ibiza connection and Arenillas.

Tags: Spain, Zapatero, PP, PSOE, Spanish+Elections+Watch+2007, kale+borroka, Navarra, Juan+Antonio+Abril+Sánchez, Afghanistan+UN+mission

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Debate: Cuba después de Castro

A friend of mine has sent me the link to these two videos in You Tube. They are about a debate hosted by Digital TV Libertad Digital about Cuban situation today and the country’s prospects. Really interesting -debate is in Spanish though-.

Primera parte:

Segunda parte:

El blog de Jorge Moragas (Popular Party MP): Los 300 de Cuba.

Patético, vergonzoso y humillante para todos los demócratas cubanos, españoles y europeos. En el útimo minuto la dictadura cubana se mofó de España. En la rueda de prensa final, el Canciller cubano Pérez Roque hizo saltar por los aires el compromiso que un ingenuo o incapaz Moratinos nos pretendía vender como un éxito:Así, del acordado y raquítico mecanismo político bilateral para hablar de Derechos Humanos entre España y Cuba quedaban excluidos manu militari los presos políticos y de conciencia cubanos que se pudren en las carceles de los Castro. A Zapatero y a su Gobierno que se ha ido de Procesión de Semana Santa a Cuba les han tomado el pelo como a unos pringadillos en viaje de fin de curso al Caribe. Ellos sólos se han metido en la trampa de la dictadura y su soberbia terminal y su fascinación por la ingeniería social castrista les ha empujado ignorar los llamamientos no sólo del PP y de Mariano Rajoy a la cabeza, sino de otros como: los mismos disidentes, Reporteros sin Fronteras, Amnistía Internacional, las Damas de Blanco, Oswaldo Payá y el Proyecto Varela, el Comité Internacional de Protección de Periodistas(Openheimer, Conkrite, Amanpour y otros fachas…) así como de ese Corazón de Europa que debería ser el Parlamento Europeo. Todos ellos, todos nosotros somos simples voces que claman en el desierto moral de este insensible Gobierno hippypiji.

El blog de Gustavo de Arístegui (Popular MP): Cuba, Venezuela y el populismo.

Es simplemente insultante que el ministro de Asuntos Exteriores diga que se va a hablar de todo, incluso de derechos humanos sin que se haga mención alguna a los presos políticos y de conciencia de Cuba. Nadie ha contestado desde el gobierno socialista a la repugnante declaración del ministro de exteriores cubano Pérez-Roque tildando a los presos políticos de mercenarios y terroristas.

Es triste, patético y escandaloso que el gobierno haya llegado hasta este nivel de entreguismo y claudicación. Convendría recordarle al gobierno socialista que hoy España bajo gobierno socialista no va a poder jugar papel relevante alguno en la transición cubana –palabra por cierto proscrita y maldita por el régimen cubano, lo que confirma su inmovilismo. Los disidentes rechazan de plano la vergonzosa política del gobierno socialista hacia Cuba, el Régimen cubano nos desprecia y nos da por descontados y los Estados Unidos (Republicanos y Demócratas por igual) desconfían del actual gobierno de España.

Related posts: Anti-Castro website launches an anti-Spain campaign.

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Technorati tags:
antizp.org, Castro, Cuba, Human Rights, MSM, PP, PSOE, Spain, Zapatero

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Anti-Castro website launches an anti-Spain campaign

People that read this blog should be aware that I am not the least sympathetic for Castro, and that one of the reasons to my opposition to Mr. Zapatero and Clown Spanish FM Moratinos is precisely his policy towards the island. So I was today searching for news about the two Cuban soldiers that were killed yesterday because they wanted to escape the island -you can read more here– and I went to read babalublog.com.

To my (bad) surprise, they are supporting [*] a campaign that runs like this:

But the more things change the more they stay the same. The current Spanish government has proven itself to be tone deaf to the pleas of Cuban dissidents, preferring instead to follow a policy that suits Spanish hoteliers and other Spanish investors in Cuba. The same kind of policy that many accused the United States of implementing in pre-castro days. Except that according to former Earl E.T. Smith, U.S. Ambassador to Cuba in the late 50s, in his book, The Fourth Floor, Cuba had its best economic year ever in 1957.

Today Spain is a vulture feeding off the dead carcass of a broken nation. We intend to send a message to Spain with this campaign. We intend to speak firmly and with conviction. We intend to call a spade, a spade. Spain has found a way to sink its colonial hooks into Cuba again more than 100 years later.

Firstly, as you can see, they critisize the Government, and after they begin a campaign against ALL Spain, even if you despise Castro and would want Cuba to be a democratic State.

But then, they say “Spain has found a way to sink its colonial hooks into Cuba again more than 100 years later“. Nothing more wrong. Zapatero does not act because of Spanish colonial past. Zapatero acts like that because he likes communism, thinking that the people who sustains it are nothing but socialist brothers somewhat confused. He is only concerned about sinking right-wingers, and above all Bush and Aznar. And as both of them -and other right-wingers- support the Cuban opposition, he thinks that he must go against them and support Castro.

Stephania, this is what I said to you some time ago. I am much too angry and puzzled to know what more to say. I thought that campaigning for some ideas should precisely include to attack the people who attack you and to, at least, not to attack the ones who are supporting you. Not insulting and blaming on EVERYONE who belongs to a group of which there is an important number that support you. This is just as if we consider that all USA would be Pelosi or similar specimens.

In reference to the Spanish investments in Cuba -a lot of Spanish lost their whole savings because of Castro-, if the Government is considering more important the investments than the Human Rights of the Cubans, that would be very wrong, although I doubt that as Zapatero’s real motive -if you have followed Endesa’s takeover bid, you can easily see that Spanish investments are not his prior importance-. But tell me, is USA, UE or any other Western country, not doing business with China, Saudi Arabia, etc? Hmm, no, they are doing it: Yahoo, Microsoft, Google, etc to name the more famous. They have even denounced bloggers and activists who were surfing and blogging from their servers. And oil companies are still doing business with Saudi Arabia and other democratic countries. And what has been done by Governments? And no, I do not think that it is good if the others do something that it is positively wrong. I think that blaming one country for something that the rest do, can be safely called hipocrisy.

That, acknowledging that this Spanish Government is a total mess and disgrace.

By the way, the last US Ambassador is a truly unbiased source. I am not saying that what he says is wrong or untrue. But, as someone interested in what happened, please, next time bring me the numbers.

If you can read Spanish, read this article by Hermann Terstch (story here and here) h/t Nauscopio Scipiorum. That is the real personality of Zapatero and Co.

Lastly, I am not going to stop defending the Human Rights of Cuban citizens or to consider my ideological position. Matters of concience and recognition of the dignity that every human being has in him/herself are above this sort of polemics.

_____________________________

About the Cubans: IHT says the Cuban government blames the behaviour of the 2 Cuban soldiers -who had kidnapped a Colonel, now dead, and wanted to kidnap an airplane to get to US- on the USA, and runs:

“The responsibility for these new crimes lies with the highest-ranking authorities of the United States, adding to the long list of terrorist acts that Cuba has been the victim of for nearly half a century,” it said.
Havana says U.S. immigration policies giving most Cubans almost guaranteed residency encourages them to risk their lives to get to the United States and says that U.S. officials have long tolerated – even encouraged – violence against the Communist-run country.

Of course, nobody wants to get out of the Cuban paradise… where dissidents are imprisoned because of criminal pre-danger.

Also in O Insurgente. In Italian, Corriere della Sera.

Fred Thomson, the unofficial Republican candidate for the elections of 2008, has written about Cuban healthcare system (you know, the best of the world and all that…):

The truth is that Cuban medical care has never recovered from Castro’s takeover — when the country’s health care ranked among the world’s best. He won the support of the Cuban people by promising to replace Batista’s dictatorship with free elections, and to end corruption. Once in power, though, he made himself dictator and instituted Soviet-style Communism. Cubans not only failed to regain their democratic rights, their economy plunged into centrally planned poverty.
As many as half of Cuba’s doctors fled almost immediately — and defections continue to this day. Castro won’t allow observers in to monitor his nation’s true state, but defectors tell us that many Cubans live with permanent malnutrition and long waits for even basic medical services. Many treatments we take for granted aren’t available at all — except to the Communist elite or foreigners with dollars.

h/t NoisyRoom.Net.

About Cuba and May 1st.

_________________________

Para los que no entendeis inglés, uno de los blogs anti-catristas más importantes ha iniciado una campaña que, en lugar de protestar contra Zapatero, nos tacha a todos los españoles de querer seguir ejerciendo de colonialistas -Zapatero, incluido, lo único que me ha dado risa del artículo porque se necesita ser i-d-i-o-t-a para considerar que la posición del Gobierno socialista se produce por afán colonialista por proteger las inversiones españolas, y no porque a él le parece que son sus buenos coleguitas comunistas-. Así que voy a traducir lo más representativo del post:

Pero a pesar de que las cosas cambian, siguen igual. El actual gobierno español ha permanecido sordo a las peticiones de los disidentes cubanos, prefiriendo en su lugar seguir un política que benefica a los hoteleros españoles y a otros inversores en Cuba. La misma política de que muchos acusan a los USA en los días anteriores a Castro. Excepto que, de acuerdo con Mr. Smith, el antiguo embajador USA en Cuba en los últimos años de la década de los 50, en su libro, La Cuarta Planta, dice que el mejor año económico de Cuba fue el 1957.

Hoy España es un buitre comiendo de la carcasa muerte de una nación rota -esta nación es Cuba no España…-. Intentamos mandar un mensaje a ESpaña con esta campaña. Queremos hablar firmemente y con convicción. Queremos llamar a las palas, palas. España ha encontrado una manera de hundir sus garfios coloniales Cuba una vez más 100 años después.

Creo que no necesita mucho más comentario…

Por cierto, que están iniciando un boicot contra todos los productos españoles, añadiendo “estos gallegos están hasta en la sopa“. Y luego ehem, dicen que no es contra España…

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Technorati tags:
antizp.org, Castro, Cuba, economy, Human Rights, Spain, Zapatero

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Obscure communist association supported by public money wants to try Aznar over Iraqi war

As I have blogged several times in the past, communist and socialist supporters want to judge Aznar because of his support to Iraqi war. I am translating the alert Monclovitas.com (from antizp.org movement) has posted on their website.

On April 25th, Spanish newspaper La Razón reported: “A foundation linked to Spanish Communist Party and which has received a lot of public money wants to judge Aznar because of Iraqi war“. The Foundation for Marxist Investigations -that is its name- is making whatever it can, spending what is necessary, both in money and in efforts and supports,being its primary objective that, at least, Aznar is called to declare before any Tribunal. This association has received more than €1 million of public money over recent years.

What is worse is that they are doing it in total secrecy as not even their webpage has any mention to this intention. Everything is being done in secret meetings, e-mailings to associates and lots of calls to lawyers, organizations and work groups what would let them make a prosperous legal action against Aznar because of Iraqi war (a war in which Spain only sent some logistical support).

Source: Quieren juzgar a Aznar usando dinero público. | Monclovitas.com

Monclovitas.org has also designed some banners to show our support for Aznar. To select yours, go to the link above and paste it on your blog.

More here by Antonio Molares do Val.

Also today the Judge from National Court Pedraz (left) has prosecuted US sergeant Thomas Gibson, the tank responsible, and two of his superiors, captain Philip Wolford and the lieutenant general Philip De Camp, for the death of Spanish cameraman José Couso in Iraq. He accuses them of a crime against international community, which Spanish Penal Code condemns with 10 to 15 years of prison.

El juez de la Audiencia Nacional Santiago Pedraz ha procesado hoy a tres soldados de los Estados Unidos por un delito contra la comunidad internacional y otro por el asesinato del cámara de Telecino José Couso y el reportero de la agencia Reuters Taras Protsyuk, el 8 de abril de 2003 en Bagdad.

En un auto dictado hoy, el juez declara procesados en esta causa al sargento Thomas Gibson, responsable del tanque que realizó el disparo al Hotel Palestina, y a dos de sus superiores, el capitán Philip Wolford y el teniente coronel Philip De Camp, por un delito que podría ser castigado con penas de diez a quince años de cárcel y con que el Código Penal español sanciona a quienes “con ocasión de un conflicto armado realizaran u ordenaran realizar ataques inidiscriminados o excesivos o hagan objeto a la población civil de ataques, represalias, actos o amenazas de violencia cuya finalidad sea aterrorizarla”.

Source: El juez Pedraz procesa a tres soldados de EEUU por la muerte de Couso

Of course, no mentions to the fact that José Couso did not have any assurance for him or his family  (click here for more; link in Spanish). He had what here it is called a “rubbish job contract“, that is, low waging, no life insurance and virtually no job security. So his family is trying someone pays for his death. And what is better that to prosecute the three US marines? A very easy target…

At the same time, ETA terrorist De Juana Chaos goes to make some purchases, without telling it to Penitentiary Judge but with the allowance of the Directive Body of the Penitentiary Institutions. But that is subject of another post.

del.icio.us tags: Aznar, Iraqi war, antizp.org, Monclovitas.org, Couso, Pedraz, De Juana Chaos

del.icio.us tags: Aznar, Iraqi war, antizp.org, Monclovitas.org, Couso, Pedraz, De Juana Chaos

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The immigrants of the cocktails molotov

I wrote here yesterday about them. But Yahel has more information of the operation:

When the cayuco was localised, the patrol ship tried to get nearer to intercept it. When they  approached, they found something totally surprising: the immigrants were waiting for them with cocktail molotovs which were thrown into the patrol ship. Considering the hostility and the danger, the agents decided to draw a zodiac near them to try to reason with the immigrants and explain them what the situation was and that their only intention was to rescue them and drive them back to Mauritania, their place of origin.

In this ocassion, the immigrants attacked the zodiac with sharp objects to prevent the intervention of the agents from the Civil Guard. Viewing this could drown the zodiac, the agents went back to the patrol ship, and the cayuco fleed to the Canary Islands.

The cayuco arrived at the harbour of Arguineguín in yesterday at midnight after being localised in the Gran Canaria waters. An agent for the Civil Guard flew from Mauritania to the Canary Islands and identified some of the attackers among a group of 57 illegal immigrants, 2 of them minors.

After being identified they are going to be flown back to Mauritania where they will be processed by the attack.

The Government from the Canary Islands insisted yesterday that the number of immigrants arriving there have descended by 60%. But they have certainly grown in violence. With the politics of the Socialist Government of soft treatment to all thugs, I think this behaviour is going to grow.

But then Deustche-Welle writes this: Spain gets rich on cheap immigrant labor.

Powered by ScribeFire.

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Today’s demonstration 3

My good blog-friend snipfer has left me the photos he has done at the demonstration. You can see them here. I have selected this one -it’s beautiful-:

Feels like you’re in the demonstration, eh?

Pablo Molina wrote before the demonstración: “Los dirigentes del PSOE no pueden, sin caer en el ridículo, denunciar que en las manifestaciones que apoya el PP aparecen enseñas preconstitucionales, sencillamente porque lo que en las convocatorias a las que acude la derecha es un suceso marginal, en las algaradas de la izquierda es la norma. Repásese el archivo fotográfico de cualquier manifestación organizada por la izquierda, con los políticos del PSOE en primera fila, y si alguien consigue detectar una bandera constitucional de España que lo diga para inscribirlo en el Libro Guinness por su agudeza visual sobrehumana. Tiene gracia también que José Blanco ponga el grito en el cielo porque algún grupúsculo friki cante el Cara al Sol, cuando su partido acaba sus reuniones tarareando La Internacional (la izquierda progre actual ya no se sabe la letra), que no es tampoco una oda a los valores democráticos ni a la libertad precisamente”.

“The PSOE leaders cannot really denounce the use of the preconstitutional flags because in the demonstrations supported by PP that is a marginal thing, while in the disorders of the left that is the normal thing. Just take another view to the photographic archives of any demonstration organised by the left and if someone can detect ONE constitutional flag of Spain, please tell it to the rest so he can have a Guiness record because of his extreme visual acuteness. It is also a very comical situation to listen José Blanco -PSOE’s Secretary of Organization- lamenting the freaky mini-group singing the Cara al Sol -the tradictional falangista and Franco-ist song- when his party finishes his own reunions singing The International, that is neither a song to the democratical values or to freedom precisely“.

Vice-President De la Vega: “This is the main party of agitation“. She did not said that when she was in the opposition and Zapatero was nicknamed pancartero, that is, the one, who carries a banner, because of all the demonstration and banners he went to.

PM Zapatero and Interior Minister Rubalcaba are not going to attend the concert dedicated to the terrorism victims. The Kings have invited them with all the terrorism victims today at night. They do not want to see the victims after the massive demonstration.

Another marvellous photo:

More comment in Aragón Liberal HT Cartas y artículos. 2 millions just to begin with.

Barcepundit and Publius Pundit has both commented and linked to me. Thanks!

Related posts:

Today’s demonstration 2.

Today’s demonstration.

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Today’s demonstration 2

More reaction:

Gateway Pundit: MASSIVE Rally Against Terrorism in Madrid!

MASSIVE Rally Against Terrorism in Madrid! Hundreds of Thousands of protesters rallied against surrendering to terrorists in Madrid!

Antes de que empiece la guerra de números » Desde el exilio

Me da igual. No importa si son un millón, medio, más o menos. Son muchos. Muchísimos. Demasiados para ser todos fascistas, liberticidas, franquistas, crispadores, marionetas al servicio del PP o de un “Losantos” (cuánto poder en sus manos de ser así!) No percibo ni mareo, ni vómitos ni me apetece apagar la televisión (Por cierto, sólo Tele-Madrid ofrece cumplida información de lo que ocurre a los que vivimos en el extranjero). No veo ira, ni armas, ni puños cerrados por el odio.

Fernando Savater, de la mayúscula al punto, hoy en El Correo (via Daniel Tercero.net):

La argumentación más inconsistente y menos convincente para apoyar el disparate gubernamental con De Juana es apelar a las supuestas excarcelaciones de etarras antes del plazo debido por parte del Gobierno de Aznar o los acercamientos de presos realizados en el mismo período, para probar la ‘hipocresía’ de la oposición (la palma se la lleva la ‘Ser’, que siempre bate el récord de bajura con este tema, proclamando la gran noticia de que ‘el Gobierno de Aznar’ no actuó contra De Juana cuando el miserable pidió ‘champán y langostinos’ para celebrar el asesinato de Tomás Caballero: ¿sólo le falta decir que se los envió Aznar pagados de su bolsillo!). Como sabe cualquiera que se moleste en enterarse de las cosas, el PP insistía en cambiar la legislación para hacer cumplir íntegras las penas pero entretanto, como no podía ser de otro modo, cumplía con la legislación vigente y sus reducciones de condena. En cuanto a los acercamientos de presos, no respondían al chantaje de ningún recluso, sino a reiteradas peticiones parlamentarias y de medios ilustrados de comunicación. Pero en fin, aunque no fuera así: ¿y qué? Si el Gobierno Aznar lo hizo mal entonces (aunque lo que hizo nada tiene que ver con la excarcelación mediante chantaje de De Juana Chaos) ¿por qué el PSOE no se lo reprochó en su día, cuando tantas cosas le censuraba en otros campos? Aún peor: si aquello fue un error, ¿por qué ahora se utiliza como justificante en lugar de haberlo tomado como advertencia de lo que no debe hacerse, visto el resultado? Es floja excusa para equivocarse el que otros se hayan equivocado antes y uno repita de buena fe los errores.

Red part translated: “If Aznar’s Government was wrong at that time (he did not do anything which could be levelled with De Juana’s blackmail), why PSOE did not critisize that then, when Socialists were so hard critisizing PP? What is even worse: if that was an error: why now is used as a justification, and not as a advise of what it should not be done, once we have seen its result?“

Also Barcepudit.

Nauscopio has a lot of links both to news and to blogs. Among them: Juan Pedro Quiñonero: Madrid’s demonstration viewed from Europe: he links to IHT, Le Monde,

Specially interesting for me is Le Monde’s treatment of this demonstration: on the first page up and with the title: “Massive demonstration of the Spanish opposition in Madrid“. In another link, it considers “historic” the demonstration … to consider afterwards the “apparition of the symbols that we here call preconstitutionals, that have the Franco’s eagle“.

Le Figaro: The right in mass against Zapatero‘s clemence.

Il corriere della Sera: Chieste le dimissioni del premier. 1 milione in piazza contro l’Eta e Zapatero. Grande folla a Madrid, convocata dal Partito Popolare (opposizione di centrodestra), per denunciare la scarcerazione del membro dell’Eta Inaki de Juana Chaos.

Triste Romeo: The success is a fact. Now we have to echarle huevos.

I had laughed when I had seen this photo:

Zapatero dressed as a bride acting as bridegroom Otegi, the speaker from BATASUNA-ETA.

Reflexiones Iracuandas reflects upon how the Spanish left has seen the demonstration: Orwell reloaded: The demonstration has been below hopes“. It reminds me to a comment in El Pais website: Only if 45 million Spanish demonstrate, it will be a success. Hmmm, yes, of course….

With all the pressure about the flags, some people have tried to expell from the demonstration, a woman who was carrying the flag of the pollo, as here is called the eagle’s flag. Video.

Related post:

Today’s demonstration.

Technorati Tags: De Juana , Spain , demonstration , Zapatero , terrorism , ETA

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Zapatero: "This is the first time a Government recognises that it has caved into ETA’s blakmail"

Well, even if you do not believe it, he really said that in yesterday’s session at Spanish Senate. Afterwards, he tried to mend what he had said and stated “this is the 1st time a political party accusses the Government of caving into ETA’s blackmail“.

The problem here is: Zapatero knew -as we all know now- that De Juana was not in the bad state he has told these last days. Someone who can maintain sexual relations in a shower is not in such a poor state as we have been told. Moreover, the act of exiting the ambulance on foot contradicts again that bad state.

Zapatero said that he was giving the 2nd grade (not excarcelation) because of humanitary reasons, that is, to prevent him from dying. So if it has been proofed De Juana was not dying, what is the blackmail about?

[Note: this is just a question. A worrying question. And I am not referring exclusively or mainly to March 11th bombings. There are other themes of interest here: his own talkings with the ETA terrorists before being president, or if he agreed with Carod Rovira in his meeting with ETA in Perpignan. But people should realise that if the Government is being blackmailes, we are all blackmailed. And the consequences of that blackmail are not know in the present and perhaps all them will be never considered].

But even if we consider that he thought De Juana was so frail as to die, he is totally contradicting himself his own words. In 1990, Zapatero stated about the hunger strike of ETA terrorists:

The Socialist Group shares the firm decision of the Government (Aznar) in front of an attack to democratic system as the colective hunger strike of imprisoned ETA terrorists, whose only final objective is not to fulfill the more accurate way to reinsertion policy inside the penitentiary system. This intent justifies in the political ground the firmness of the Government’s position.

This is marvellous, isn’t it? And very coherent with his present political assertions about the Aznar’s Government (that had also its flaws, as every human-made thing but nothing compared with this…) making concessions to ETA terrorist, eh?? The firmness of the Government’s position. My goodness…

El blog de las Zetapolleces has the video about yesterday’s session (in Spanish).

Thanks to Prevost I know that PP from Tres Cantos (situated near Madrid) has been receiving terrorist menaces for some time. They are calling them “Fascists“, “Hipocrytes” and are announcing “they will be taken to the same place as Franco and Miguel Ángel Blanco“. While Franco was a dictator so unwholly separated and different from any democratic ruler -as all dictators-, this is a great disrespect for Miguel ángel Blanco, murdered by ETA terrorists, when Aznar’s Government did not cave into ETA’s blackmail. A very wrong and wholly undemocratic behaviour.

Maya focuses on leftists’ reaction to these news: they simply consider these menaces made by PP.

Related posts:

Demonstration next Saturday.

ABC.es: nacional – terrorismo – Lapsus de seductor

 

Desde que calificó de «accidente» el atentado de la T-4, Zapatero no había tenido un «lapsus» o error dialéctico de tal calibre. «No es la primera vez que un Gobierno cede al chantaje de ETA», dijo el presidente del Gobierno en un arranque de frase desafortunado de por sí, que, con la consiguiente interrupción de los senadores del PP, pareció una confesión en toda regla. Luego lo intentó enmendar con la misma frase, pero con el añadido de que «es la primera vez que un partido se atreve a decir que un Gobierno ha cedido al chantaje de ETA».

Zapatero en 1990 sobre la huelga de hambre y el derecho a la vida (Internet Política)

 

El Grupo Socialista comparte la firme decisión del Gobierno ante un método de ataque al sistema democrático como es la huelga de hambre colectiva de los reclusos cuyo fin único es desatender lo que es, a nuestro juicio, la vía más acertada para una política de reinserción dentro del sistema penitenciario. Ese intento justifica que en el terreno político la posición del Gobierno sea firme.

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