More than 30,000 people, according to official data, or half a million people, according to the organizers of the event, gathered at noon this Saturday (21) in Plaza Cibeles, in Madrid, to protest against the socialist government of Pedro Sánchez.
Convened by around one hundred associations and civil society groups, the demonstration defended right-wing banners and included representatives of politicians from the Popular Party, Vox and Cidadãos.
Under the slogan “For Spain, for democracy and for the Constitution”, protesters complained that Sánchez puts democracy at risk. According to them, the government was kidnapping institutions, releasing terrorists from ETA (an organization from the Basque Country) due to revisions of the Penal Code and reducing sentences for convicts after the entry into force of the new sexual assault law.
“It is not a matter of left, right or center, but of not remaining impassive in the face of the serious erosion of our institutions, the deterioration of our democracy and the weakening of our State”, noted the protest manifesto.
The only nationally recognized politician present was the president of the far-right Vox party. Santiago Abascal said he was convinced of “the need for a permanent and massive mobilization until the expulsion of autocrat Pedro Sánchez from power”.
According to him, the protest was against “the worst government in the history” of Spain, which “trampled on the Constitution by arresting Spaniards”, referring to the quarantine during the pandemic, while freeing “rapists, terrorists and coup plotters”.
For the organizers, the recent changes in the Penal Code show that the government is “adapting” the laws so that criminals take to the streets. This would be the first step in a “far-reaching and hidden” plan to effect “illegitimate constitutional changes”.
Sánchez responded by saying that the demonstration was made by nostalgic citizens. “They defend a broken, uniform and exclusive Spain,” said the prime minister. “We are a majority of Spaniards who want a united Spain, in coexistence, that respects diversity and advances in rights and prosperity.”
With a wealth of experience honed over 4+ years in journalism, I bring a seasoned voice to the world of news. Currently, I work as a freelance writer and editor, always seeking new opportunities to tell compelling stories in the field of world news.
