Antoni Bassas' analysis: 'La Moncloa: "The UCO report is devastating"'

Yesterday afternoon, I spoke with a Socialist official in Catalonia who has a direct connection to the Moncloa government, and the message they sent him was that "the UCO report is devastating." Yes, there was commotion at the headquarters of the Spanish government, as we saw in the press conference. the face of the emaciated Sánchez when he came out to apologize again and again at the PSOE headquarters.

We told you yesterday that the case looked "serious, very serious," but what ended up happening that afternoon makes it even more serious. We only need to ask ourselves one question: did Pedro Sánchez know that Santos Cerdán, his deputy, a man of his utmost confidence since 2014, had received illegal kickbacks in exchange for public works contracts? If it were proven that he knew, Sánchez should back down and call elections. And if, as he says, he didn't know, then he didn't monitor enough, and that leaves him and his government hanging by a thread. One more corruption and the thread breaks.

First, because Sánchez already trusted the previous secretary of organization, José Luis Ábalos, and now he's under indictment. In other words, Cerdán's case isn't the first, nor the only, that affects him closely. The two secretaries of organization that Sánchez appointed appear to have dirty their hands with money. I say apparently, until the judge proves it and issues the appropriate sentence. Rumors about Cerdán had been circulating for months, and Sánchez kept him on.

And then, corruption is always serious, but in this case even more so. How did Sánchez become prime minister of Spain? Through a vote of no confidence that brought down Rajoy's government following the Gürtel ruling in 2018. It was historic: for the first time, a prime minister in Spain had fallen through a vote of no confidence, because Sánchez had managed to garner enough votes from the majority in the chamber, with the mandate to regenerate public life. And now it turns out there's sufficiently strong evidence that his party's organizing secretary, whom he appointed, could also be a commission agent.

The Cerdán case will force rebuild the leadership of the PSOEMore importantly, however, it could mean changes in the Spanish government, which, let's remember, is in a coalition with Sumar, and the partners are uncomfortable with corruption so close at hand. And Junts and the PNV also have a window of reflection: is supporting the deeply affected Sánchez still worth it, or is having to vote for Feijóo alongside Vox the worst of all?

Finally, as everything is likely to get worse, Israel has attacked IranBeware of this new hotbed of war in an unstable world.

Good morning.