Pedro Sánchez flatly denies that the corruption scandal affecting his party implies that it was illegally financed and accuses the opposition of trying to confuse public opinion with its own ghosts of the past. “When the PP confuses black money with cash, their subconscious betrays them. They want to show that their illegal financing is also common in the rest of the parties and it is not like that,” he said during an interview on Cadena Ser.
The President of the Government has defended his party's way of acting even in the management of the leaders' expenses, which in cases like that of José Luis Ábalos were paid in cash. “The Civil Guard report says that there is no evidence of illegal financing of the PSOE. Expenditure settlements are done as in all companies, but I can guarantee that there is no illegal financing and that all expenses are audited,” he insisted.
Regarding his own situation with this type of expenses in the party, the general secretary of the socialists has acknowledged that he could also receive “on some occasions” cash payments to settle advanced expenses as top leader, but insists that it is a legal practice carried out by institutions and companies. “It was not common, but I am sure that on some occasions I have had this type of expense settlement,” he indicated.
Sánchez has this time avoided entering into a clash with the judges but has once again disavowed the idea that his brother or his wife have committed crimes due to corruption. “The greatest judge is time and time will put the truth first. And the truth is that my brother and my wife are innocent,” he remarked.
Recently arrived from Egypt, where he went this Monday for the ceasefire summit in Gaza, the president celebrates the step taken in the Middle East but that “peace does not mean oblivion” or “impunity”, which is why in his opinion the processes opened in the International Criminal Court must continue so that the “main actors of the genocide perpetrated in Gaza” answer to justice.
Furthermore, he assures that the arms embargo on Israel approved by Congress last week remains in place despite the agreement signed between the Netanyahu Government and Hamas for peace in Gaza, and has not ruled out the possibility of Spain sending peace troops to the Strip if this is agreed upon.
“We are going to maintain this embargo until this entire process is effectively consolidated and definitively on track,” answered Sánchez, who, when asked if Spain was considering sending Peace troops to Gaza, responded that “if this ultimately occurs,” our country “wants to be and wants to have an active presence” not only in the reconstruction, “but also in that horizon of peace.”
Regarding the meeting he had this Monday with the president of the United States, Donald Trump, he defined that greeting as “cordial.” “The United States and Spain have never been far away. Despite the discrepancies in how we have to look at the world, the relations are very positive and very deep, they are very consolidated,” he said.
Asked about the situation of the General State Budgets, the president indicated that he will present them “before the end of the year” and that he has not done so yet because they are working on them within the coalition. Now, he has insisted that its non-approval would have no implications for the stability of the legislature.
“With or without new Budgets, I feel very comfortable with the current ones because it allows us to respond to the social agenda and enhance the productive fabric of our country,” he said. Sánchez has indicated, therefore, that “if there were no new budgets nothing would happen”, since the IMF will present its forecasts for Spain this Tuesday and they will be “better”.
For this reason, he insisted, he does not want “there to be speculation” because the legislature will last “until 2027”: “Legislatures in Spain last four years. And this Government, if it has demonstrated anything during these last seven years, is one that is stable and that is an effective Government, and there are the economic data,” he emphasized.