Originally published in Spanish. Tsevan Rabtan.
Today is a sad day. Not, as many people think, because of the images of police charging against those who broke the law or dragging them out to prevent them from hampering their ability to enforce court orders. The police can sometimes mess up and find themselves overwhelmed. Reality is like that, stubborn and stupid. Nor is it a sad day because of what international media or political leaders make of it. People always get exquisite when crime does not affect them personally.
The sad thing is to verify that most of the Catalonia’s political resources springs have been put to the service of delinquency and a coup d’état.
It has been a long since I have not supported the position of the Spanish government. I am not talking about political strategy. On the political strategy I decided not to speak from the moment that I recognized that the Government was facing plotters of a coup. I speak exclusively of the gigantic immorality of not using constitutional mechanisms. These mechanisms are not designed (however much Article 155 says «may») to be used strategically. But many have seen it. It is the same immorality of those who say that a law is constitutional unless someone contests its constitutionality in the courts, even though its deficiencies are evident. This attitude of refusing to apply the law is what is immoral and dangerous. Nothing destroys institutions more than arbitrariness. That is why unpunished political corruption is so harmful.
As I said, have not shared the position of the Government for a long time. I have, although, decided that, with the crime now at the gates, there is only one defensible position. This is also why I am disgusted by the position of some of the actors who claim to be on «our» side. Actors (some, by the way, with very dubious biographies) who, in times of so much anxiety, instead of supporting the institutions have decided the principal task is to drive Mariano Rajoy out of office. I do not want to settle old scores, but I have always said more or less the same thing and I have seen, with great melancholy, some of these people in the forefront of the demonstrations when they were last seen playing the intellectual game of exquisite artifacts.
At this point, any acceptable line of action on the part of Spanish government would have to include:
1.- The immediate application of art. 155 of the Spanish Constitution, relieving the Catalan of the tutelage of Catalonia. The State can no longer consent to its institutions being used for the purposes of crime.
2.- The immediate persecution of all the crimes being committed now. I include here all of the protagonists, whether leaders or simple executors. All of them. Those images images of violence that so horrify some are the best proof of the commission of these crimes.
3.- Having taken these measures, the prompt calling of general elections. It is time for Spaniards to say what they think of the leaders of the PP, PSOE, Podemos and Citizens and their performance during these months and days.
4.- That Rajoy announce immediately that he will decline to present himself as head of the Partido Popular in the next elections. Now we can judge his performance. Citizens have the right to expect the state to have sufficient resources to prevent this massive crime the commission of which had been announced months ago. To expect that what was needed had been arranged.The Spanish state has failed. It does not matter what means the Catalan secessionists have left. All will be a mere excuse to continue to publicize their repugnant tale of victimization. Here is not where failure will lie. It will be found in the voluntary assumption that it was better to forego existing constitutional mechanisms without having any alternative plan. Now we have seen that failure, a failure pointing to one responsible party – Mariano Rajoy.
As I finish writing this I am listening to him on the television. His speech – inane, hollow, dishonest and irresponsible as it is – is the irrefutable evidence of his personal failure.
Today is a very sad day.
Looking around, I feel myself an orphan. But I do not think I’m alone. I think there are millions of Spaniards looking for the same shelter.
But there is no shelter. We have the politicians we deserve.
