The acting president of the Government and leader of the PSOE, Pedro Sánchez, has openly expressed himself in favor of amnesty. “Catalonia is ready. In defense of coexistence and the interests of Spain, today I defend the amnesty of Catalonia,” he said during the opening speech of the Federal Committee of the PSOE held this Saturday in Ferraz.
The socialist leader assured that his program “must include demands from other parliamentary groups” because “there are 56 deputies who are asking for an amnesty to support a government in progress and avoid the government that is more correct,” he defended.
Sánchez asked his party leaders for support because he considered it his “responsibility to take that step.” «Amnesty is not an end in itself nor is it the end of the road, but rather it is the road to progress towards the normalization of relations between Catalonia and Spain. I know this is a debatable step, like pardons, but our responsibility is to take it,” said the acting President of the Government.
This is the first time thatSánchez has spoken clearly in favor of amnesty although, last month, his Government’s statements have been aimed at softening the measure.
Now it remains to be seen the reaction of the socialist barons. His intervention will not be broadcast by the party because, as they explained from the formation, the Federal Committee is always behind closed doors so the only open speech is that of the general secretary This Saturday the voices of the candidate José Ramón Besteiro and Eneko Andueza can also be heard as they were approved this day to be candidates for the Galician and Basque elections, respectively.
“That’s not our plan”
The leader of the PSOE also acknowledged that the amnesty did not appear in his initial plans and that this concession was the result of the election results that gave the Popular Party the victory despite not having a sufficient majority to form a Government: not our plan this time, but sometimes in life, we don’t have to choose. Something has changed and this is the result of 23-J,” he said.
In this sense, Sánchez assured that “it must be made a virtue” to justify his change of mind about amnesty. In addition, the socialist believes that this is a “unique opportunity” and “we must continue to progress” in partnership.
Defense of pardons
Sánchez also defended his Government’s granting of pardons to leaders in the process. According to the president, “it cannot be denied that the current situation is infinitely better” and he described it as “evidence” that the “reunion is making its way.”
“The results of the pardons are indisputable,” he boasted during his speech, adding that the progress “can be seen on the street”: “You only have to walk around Catalonia to realize it and the results are also visible in the elections,” he said. in addition.
