Isla-Puigdemont, the meeting was the message

Both came from very far away, and I'm not referring to the distance between Catalonia and Belgium. Isla had promised "no amnesty or anything like that," an expression that seemed like an echo of Sánchez when he made that other promise: "I will bring Puigdemont back to Spain." And Puigdemont had predicted that Illa would act as "the civil governor of Catalonia" to implement "a low-intensity Article 155." The only thing missing was the agreement between the PSC and PP to snatch the Barcelona mayoralty from Trias to further exacerbate Junts' hostility toward the PSC. But in July 2023, the voters had other plans, and Junts' seven votes in Congress brought them closer together. That's why this Tuesday, both parties turned necessity into virtue.

Finally, The president and the president in exile met in Brussels, even though it was necessary to first organize an institutional meeting with all the former presidents and for the Constitutional Court to confirm the constitutionality of the amnesty law. It's as true that Pedro Sánchez, holding out with his neck in water, has done very well with this meeting as it is that Junts had requested it as a form of political amnesty, since a real amnesty is a long way off and it will soon be eight years since Puigdemont has been living in Belgium.

Cordiality between adversaries is unusual, especially in an era when social media suggests that life is divided between the pure and the traitors. Everything is and isn't: the meeting took place, but Isla has returned home, and Puigdemont will remain in exile. Isla will continue to use the Spanish flag in his official meetings, and Puigdemont will continue to believe that there is always a Socialist watching him in the European Parliament. Precisely for this reason, seeing them greet each other and meet for a good hour this Tuesday has the value of formality. The meeting was the message.