Page "in shock" over Zapatero indictment in Plus Ultra case
The president of Castilla-La Mancha reacted live on Onda Cero to the judicial investigation against former president Zapatero, saying he was left "in shock, frankly".
Page reacts live to Zapatero indictment: "I'm in shock"
The president of Castilla-La Mancha, Emiliano García-Page, learned live on Tuesday of the judicial investigation against former Government president José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero whilst being interviewed by journalist Carlos Alsina on the Onda Cero radio station. According to ABC, judge José Luis Calama has ordered an investigation into Zapatero as part of what is known as the Plus Ultra case.
"I'm in shock, I'm in shock, frankly," García-Page said upon learning of the news on air. "I have always considered him capable of moving heaven and earth to win votes, but I did not see him with economic neurosis, frankly," added the regional head.
The charges brought against Zapatero include criminal organisation, document forgery and abuse of influence, with sentences contemplating up to eight years in prison.
García-Page noted that he has not maintained a relationship with Zapatero for some time and acknowledged disagreements with him on "many things". However, he qualified this by saying the memory he retains is of personal experience: "I have never seen him especially obsessed with money, far from it". He clarified that his knowledge of Zapatero is limited to "his political role" and pointed out that "in the stages of former politicians, this country would yield material for an encyclopaedia about what happens after politics". "I naturally wish him well in this process and that he is able to defend himself," he concluded on this matter.
Criticism of the "super election Sunday" and the current PSOE
At the beginning of the interview, García-Page had harshly criticised the possibility of a "super election Sunday", calling it a "barbarism" and a "stab in the back to the system". He clarified that he has no evidence that such an option is on the table, but insisted that he does not believe it will materialise.
On the internal transformation of the PSOE, García-Page argued that the party a decade ago had solid structures and capacity for internal debate, something that, in his view, has deteriorated due to what he defined as "organic populism". In his opinion, the election of a "supreme leader" — a clear reference to Pedro Sánchez — has caused a loss of weight of the intermediate bodies and has created a climate of caution when expressing disagreements.
The regional president compared the current situation with earlier stages of the party and noted that leaders such as Felipe González accepted internal criticism more naturally. He denounced that now, when someone expresses disagreement, an "invisible mobilised army" emerges that seeks to publicly wear down those who hold different positions. Asked about Sánchez's absence following poor PSOE results in the Andalusian elections, García-Page said it seemed to him "the usual thing".
Electoral strategy: fourteen key provinces
García-Page also conducted an analysis of the possible PSOE electoral strategy ahead of the upcoming general elections. He pointed out that there are some fourteen key provinces whose results could determine which party comes first in terms of votes cast, and he linked that calculation to what he described as "the PSOE's interest in growing Vox at the expense of the PP".
Source: ABC