Clash between the Spanish government and the monarchy: Puente insists on criticizing the king

BarcelonaSince there has been a coalition government in Spain, criticisms from Sumar ministers against the king have occurred to the point where they are now part of normality, as are walkouts at official royal house events. However, this is not the case with socialist ministers. In fact, the socialist part of the state government has always staunchly defended the head of state, even against criticisms from the right and far-right regarding certain speeches or actions, taking into account that everything Felipe VI does must be endorsed by the Spanish government. Nevertheless, this week a sudden crisis has emerged between the Spanish government and the Crown that represents a plot twist, following a harsh criticism from a socialist minister like Óscar Puente, one of the main escorts of the Spanish president, Pedro Sánchez, over a recent photograph of the king with the far-right agitator Javier Negre in Colombia, within the framework of the investiture of the new leader, Abelardo de la Espriella.

criticisms from the right and far-right regarding certain speeches or actions, taking into account that everything Felipe VI does must be endorsed by the Spanish government. Nevertheless, this week a sudden crisis has emerged between the Spanish government and the Crown that represents a plot twist, following a harsh criticism from a socialist minister like Óscar Puente, one of the main escorts of the Spanish president, Pedro Sánchez, over a recent photograph of the king with the far-right agitator Javier Negre in Colombia, within the framework of the investiture of the new leader, Abelardo de la Espriella.

The controversy emerged last Monday, but has been escalating this Tuesday, as Puente has insisted on criticisms over the monarch's relaxed contact with Negre, known for spreading fake news and for having the agitator Vito Quiles, a former collaborator of the ultra MEP Alvise Pérez, as a collaborator in his media outlet EDA TV. On Monday, he republished a comment from an anonymous profile calling for a "Republic now" after the controversial video of Felipe de Borbón with Negre. "This situation seems like an absolute ignominy to me," concluded the Minister of Transport.

This Tuesday Puente has redoubled his criticism. "The king is a symbol and is not innocuous with whom he is photographed or whom he greets in a context that is not protocolary, nor part of any institutional relationship," he warned. And he added that "his image is contaminated and that of the subject with whom he is photographed is cleaned" and "both things are unacceptable." In fact, Puente recalled that "Negre is a far-right activist who practices harassment against progressive politicians and their families," like his own, and who is dedicated to "defamation." But he also stressed that Negre "has gravely insulted the king" and "the queen of Spain." "At this point it would be necessary to recall that there are people in prison in this country for insults to the Crown," he concluded. This is the case of Pablo Hasél, convicted of insults to the king, among other crimes, although the minister did not mention him.

The Spanish minister's words caused an uproar in Spanish politics. So much so that the PP's secretary general, Miguel Tellado, launched a strong attack against Puente, stating that the "ignominy" is that "70,000 illegal immigrants are invading the autonomous city of Ceuta" and that the executive is "on vacation." On the other hand, Vox deputy Jorge Campos opined that "what this government intends" is to overthrow the parliamentary monarchy to advance towards a republic.