The significant political crisis unleashed after the purchase and quick listing for sale of a luxury penthouse in Chamberí by the Community of Madrid is not over yet. Without clarifying questions such as the price of the property or contradictions like the intended use, Isabel Díaz Ayuso clung this Sunday to the official explanation given a day after the storm began: “This property is for sale and we have also put up four others that are on Gran Vía and with those approximately 20 million euros we are going to strengthen the reconstruction of the Sierra Oeste,” she insisted after visiting Pelayos de la Presa, a town affected by the fires.
Read more Some Moroccans who stormed Ceuta arrive at the beaches of the Campo de Gibraltar
The president also did not answer the media’s question about whether she would show any type of file on the purchase of the controversial penthouse and preferred to focus on Morocco, due to the massive crossing of people at the border with Ceuta. “It is an intolerable invasion that our compatriots are suffering there,” she said, hardening the criticism more than any of her party colleagues. Alberto Núñez Feijóo, this Saturday, already raised the tone against Morocco. While Pedro Sánchez and Fernando Grande-Marlaska do everything possible to exempt Rabat from any responsibility, the PP leader did demand “good faith” and “loyalty” from the neighboring country. He even spoke of the Ceuta crisis as a “premeditated occupation,” but did not go as far as Ayuso this Sunday.
“It is a test from Morocco for the next one,” warned the regional leader. “This is going to escalate,” she said firmly. “I would like to know why the Government thanks Morocco. What is happening is catastrophic. We cannot allow Ceuta to be invaded, because it is in those plans. They will try to take it from us.” And she pointed out that Sánchez’s Government “has alienated all the Western countries that have a pulse” and that “the security of the entire continent is being compromised,” in line with what Santiago Abascal expressed.
The Vox leader has defined what happened last Thursday in Ceuta as “a brutal attack on our sovereignty”, “an invasion” and even “an act of war, promoted by Morocco and tolerated and allowed by Pedro Sánchez in various ways,” referring, he said, to the regularization of immigrants launched last January by the Government.
Abascal’s position is revealing, because all polls place him in a position to form a governing coalition with Feijóo after the next elections. But he would have a minority position, like Sumar now, which has also been harsh in its discourse with Morocco, accusing it of “using vulnerable people as a tool of political pressure.” Therefore, even more notable than Abascal’s opinion is Ayuso’s, as a reference of the party destined to lead the next Government of Spain and, therefore, obliged to direct dialogue with Rabat.
The leader of the Spanish hard right traveled this Sunday to the autonomous city and, from there, accused Morocco and the Prime Minister of being “responsible” for the “suffering” of the people of Ceuta in this crisis and for the death of dozens of immigrants in the attempt to cross the border. “The guilt is shared: the person responsible is Pedro Sánchez but he shares guilt with Morocco,” he said.
Thus, in light of what happened last Thursday, when 60,000 people entered Spain through the Ceuta border, Abascal has demanded “drastic measures.” First, the leader demanded that the neighboring country accept the “return” of its citizens who remain “illegally” on Spanish soil: “Tell us if you accept your nationals or not, or if you are really expelling your compatriots and leading them to a confrontation with Spain for other interests,” the Vox leader suggested.
The hard right leader delved into questioning Morocco’s stance during the episode of the massive crossing of people, to argue that the neighboring country “dared to do this” because “it knew there would be no response, no kind of retaliation.” “And why is there no retaliation? Because Sánchez is subjected to Morocco,” Abascal said, demanding “to know the truth about what happened.”
And, in that line of pointing to the neighboring country, Abascal has requested the “permanent” closure of the border crossing in Ceuta. “Until Morocco gives us guarantees that this will not happen again,” he clarified later, again focusing on the role played by the Alawite kingdom in the flood of people who crossed into Spain last Thursday. Under the same argument, the Vox leader addressed Brussels to ask for the suspension of the preferential agreement of the European Union with Morocco until the neighboring country “commits to respecting our borders.”
