Pedro Sánchez, under fire: from sneakers to the crisis in Afghanistan

The People’s Party has uploaded all of its artillery against the government of Pedro Sánchez in what is already configured as the prelude to a hot autumn in Spanish politics. In addition, there are criticisms of Podemos, Sánchez’s partners in the executive. Each setting the strategy for the future in a scenario of electoral polls favorable to the right and unfavorable to the left.

A tweet from Pedro Sanchez manage the crisis in Afghanistan from his vacation spot -in the residence of La Mareta, on the Canary Island of Lanzarote- wearing espadrilles it is the anecdote which has become in the last hours a symbol of the acrimony existing in Spanish politics.

The image of Sánchez in summer clothes was used by the national spokesperson of the PP and mayor of Madrid, José Luis Martínez Almeida, to criticize the inaction, according to him, of the government before the situation of the Spaniards trapped in Kabul (Afghanistan) after the Taliban came to power.

The PP severely criticized Sánchez’s absence, his inability to run for Congress and the fact that he continues on vacation despite several open fronts that cloud national politics.

The crisis in Afghanistan has been joined in recent weeks by the lack of control over electricity prices, which reached historic highs, and the devolution towards Morocco of dozens of minors who were in the Spanish city of Ceuta -In North Africa- since they entered the country illegally in the spring. The process of deporting minors is before the courts because it does not comply with the law. In this case, the government’s criticisms were almost unanimous.

An absent president

The PP considers that Sánchez is an absent president, that he is not confronted with the problems which weigh on the country and that he prefers to be on vacation while the Spaniards suffer the consequences “of their bad administration”. A week ago, the conservative party launched the hashtag # Where is Sanchez? denounce the absence of the president. In recent days, the main leaders popular, with its president, Pablo Casado, in the lead, they tweeted at one point criticism of the president using this hashtag,

Regarding the anger of the espadrilles, Martínez Almeida reiterated today criticizing the president, explaining his allusion to the clothes. “I’m not criticizing the fact that Sánchez wears sneakers on his summer vacation. I love them and I take them on vacation, but it is a metaphor for how Sánchez understands the management of government when such serious events occur for the Spaniards.. The metaphor is the posture of being in La Mareta instead of coming to Madrid to take command. It’s the posture of saying I’m doing something on vacation. It seems wrong to me, ”criticized Almeida.

The Citizen’s leader, Inés Arrimada, joined Sánchez’s criticism: “Spain is too important a country for its president not to have already explained our position on Afghanistan, as have other European leaders. He should appear before the media and Congress ”.

The government does not understand that at a particularly delicate moment the opposition is not closing ranks and avoiding criticism. Defense Minister Margarita Robles repelled the attacks, announcing that the executive will appear in parliament to explain the operation to evacuate Spaniards and Afghan collaborators from Kabul. He explained that if he had not done so before, it was out of “prudence”, “discretion” and to avoid risks in an operation where “human lives” are at stake.

Refugees and Marketing Center

Spain has already sent four planes on a rescue mission, removed around 200 people from Kabul and became the center of operations for the European Union (EU), according to the Foreign Ministry. In the base of the Torrejón de Ardoz area, on the outskirts of Madrid, a hub or refugee distribution center. Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares explained that this center, symbol of the “values” of the EU, will make Spain the “heart of Europe”.

The Afghans received in this camp are granted a temporary residence permit in the European Union. When they are transferred to the final host country, they will have asylum status.

President Sánchez, already in the capital, is scheduled to visit the center of Torrejón de Ardoz this Saturday with the highest authorities of the European Union, the President of the Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and the President of the Council, Charles Michel.

The PP’s deputy secretary for the sector, former minister Elvira Rodríguez, said that the Foreign Ministry’s announcement that Spain will lead the process of welcoming Afghan refugees is a “marketing operation”. In an interview with the Europa Press agency, Rodríguez was categorical: “I believe that we are not able to lead anything. And now that the government is saying ‘I want to lead’, it means putting on medals ”.

The Military Emergency Unit (UEM) was tasked with “building” this center to receive Afghan citizens. Women and children will be accommodated in special modules with a capacity of 500 people, while men will be divided into two barracks with a capacity of 200 people.. The facilities, as stated by the Ministry of Social Security and Migration, have air conditioning and leisure areas.

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