The Supreme Court’s condemnation of the State Attorney General, Alvaro Garcia Ortizdue to the revelation of secrets, has provoked a reaction from the Government and its partners that transcends the legitimate disagreement with a judicial resolution.
What we have witnessed this Thursday and Friday is an exercise in political irresponsibility: shamelessly accusing the Judiciary of perpetrating a “coup d’état” against the Executive.
Words have weight. When Monica Garcia speaks of a “lethal blow”, when Gabriel Rufian denounces “judicial coup”, when Ione Herb accused of “civil murder” or when Yolanda Diaz affirms that the sentence “breaks the institutionality of the State”, the right to criticism is not being exercised.
The foundations of democratic coexistence are being dynamited.
Confrontation between institutions is being deliberately encouraged.
The dangerous seed of distrust in the rule of law is being sown among citizens.
This speech is not new. It is the same as Pedro Sanchez It has been rehearsing since Justice began to investigate the corruption plots that affect its closest environment.
When the judges summoned to testify Begoña GómezSánchez denounced “lawfare”.
When his brother was charged David Sanchezspoke of political persecution.
When Koldo Garcia y José Luis Ábalos They were in the spotlight for the mask case, the PSOE denounced a State operation.
Now, with Santos Cerdan also accused and a judicial calendar that threatens to put several of his closest collaborators in prison, the president has found in the conviction of the attorney general the perfect alibi to escalate his confrontation strategy.
He Resistance Manual Sánchez is as predictable as he is dangerous. Every time Justice approaches his circle, the president activates the same mechanism: delegitimize the judges, remain silent (and, consequently, grant) when his most radical partners launch inflammatory messages and polarize Spanish society by presenting himself as the victim of a judicial conspiracy.
It is the “and you more” policy elevated to State doctrine.
What is serious is not only the verbal violence. It is the irresponsibility of a Government that prefers to weaken institutions rather than assume political responsibilities.
Spain is a consolidated democracy where citizens can change governments every four years. Where there is separation of powers. Where judges act independently.
Accusing the Judiciary of carrying out a coup d’état is not defending democracy, it is undermining it.
The Supreme Court has convicted the attorney general for the crime of revealing secrets. It will be legitimate to disagree with the sentence, with legal and non-political argumentswhen all its details are known.
But it is a ruling issued in accordance with the law, with individual votes included and the potential possibility of subsequent appeals.
Saying that this is a coup d’état is equivalent to affirming that only judicial resolutions that favor the Government are legitimate.
And that is not democracy. It is autocracy.
Sánchez is playing with fire. And the Spanish, once again, We will pay the consequences of your political survival strategy.
Because when a president sows winds of institutional distrust, the entire society ends up reaping storms of division and confrontation.