Ignacio Garriga: "We're sure that if it's up to Feijóo, he'll reach an agreement with a PSOE without Sánchez sooner than with Vox."

Vilanova del VallèsVox's general secretary and spokesperson in the Parliament, Ignacio Garriga (Sant Cugat, 1987), welcomes the ARA party to Vilanova del Vallès, where he's spending the summer. There, among ancient pine trees, he openly outlines his project for Catalonia, which he sees as just another region of Spain.

What is your take on the Jumilla controversy?

— An artificial debate is brewing around a common-sense measure: limiting public sports venues to private use. This is in no way a war against a religion. However, we will continue to denounce the Islamization we are experiencing, financed and promoted by the PP and PSOE, with the complicity of Junts and ERC.

Have you been surprised by the Church's criticism?

— Not only have they surprised us, but they have hurt us. Because the spokesperson for the Episcopal Conference spoke like a political spokesperson. And when he speaks like a politician, he receives a political response. Why don't they criticize the LGBTI policies of the Community of Madrid or the pro-abortion policies of Salvador Illa in the same way?

The Archbishop of Tarragona said that a xenophobe cannot be a good Christian. Do you agree?

— Definitely, But Vox is neither the Catholic Church nor a party that aims to govern for Catholics. Vox aims to govern for all Spaniards, regardless of their beliefs, but by establishing priorities.I wish we could help everyone, but resources are limited, and so we must prioritize national priorities. But being called a racist in particular is kind of funny...

From the perspective of Christian doctrine, national priority does not exist. What Jesus teaches is that everyone should be helped.

— I insist, Spaniards first, and then anyone else, as long as they come to live like us, legally, and contribute by working. I want my children to continue to be able to enjoy traditional Catalan festivals, the sardanas, in a few years, and for our festivals not to be replaced by the Feast of the Sacrifice of the Lamb or Ramadan. This isn't a rhetoric against anyone; it's a rhetoric defending our identity, which is seriously threatened today.

So what would your immigration policy be?

— It would be radically contrary to what has been promoted by the national and Catalan governments over the past 40 years.

But the Generalitat lacks powers over immigration.

— Not directly, but he is jointly responsible for the social policies promoted by ERC, Junts, and the PSC. If Catalonia is currently one of the regions with the most illegal immigrants arriving, it's because they know that when it comes to housing and social assistance, they're ahead of the Catalans.

They go ahead if they have a lower socioeconomic status, right?

— The reality is that they do. Not all of them, but a lot of them.

But this isn't the case in Murcia, where the PP governs, for example? 

— Also, and it's a problem. Our commitment is to change the requirements for accessing social housing or social assistance. We want to overturn the '78 regime, return power to the people, and remove power from the party system.

Do you understand that there are entire economic sectors that depend on foreign labor, such as agriculture, because natives don't want to do these jobs?

— And why not? Possibly because they aren't well paid. Obviously, there are economic sectors that require immigration. We support it as long as they come to live like us. Catalans prefer to continue seeing Mr. Pep and Mrs. Maria's butcher shop, and not the halal butcher shop and a fruit stand labeled with Arabic letters.

In this sense, do you have empathy with the Catalans who see Catalan retreating from the public sphere?

— I don't understand it, and I admit it makes me sad. This story that Catalan is on the verge of disappearing is an approach promoted by the Generalitat (Catalan government) and certain media outlets. Catalan is spoken. It's spoken in families, in schools. Not only is it spoken, but it's becoming a reality.

So you don't think Catalan needs to be protected?

— I'm convinced it shouldn't be protected. What should be guaranteed is freedom. Catalans should speak whatever they want whenever they want.

But surveys show that the social use of Catalan is declining...

— By turning it into a political tool, they've made it unpopular. And that's a shame, because it's a cultural treasure. We defend Catalan and our identity. And we're tired of being told we're anti-Catalan. We're just as Catalan as the other parties. What we defend is freedom. In language policy, in fiscal policy, and in education.

And how would you go about preserving Catalan?

— I believe that the best way to preserve Catalan is to teach it in schools.

But do you think it should be mandatory to finish school knowing Catalan?

— I believe it's a cultural wealth that should be guaranteed to all generations of Catalans, of course, but not to the detriment of Spain's common language. The guiding principle is to ensure that Spanish is the vehicular language. And to always guarantee the necessary level to study at a university in Madrid, for example. What we also need is to take out all the garbage. woke of education, all gender ideology, the sexualization of children, and returning memorization, knowledge, history, philosophy. More elbows and fewer projects.

What is Vox's relationship with the Catalan Alliance? Are you afraid it will take away votes?

— It's been proven that the Catalan Alliance's votes are with Junts, not with us. We agree on defending identity and protecting borders, but they go against everything Spanish. And we are proud to be part of a great nation like Spain, while at the same time we are proud to be Catalan, which is a wonderful way to be Spanish.

Do you have a good relationship with them?

— The politeness of the members of the Catalan Alliance is commendable, as they have had to endure the worst cordon sanitaire in living memory in the Parliament. And we have no problem voting with them.

Are there any other differences?

— Ms. Orriols believes in the LGBTI movement, and that's why she hangs the flag at City Hall, but it's shocking that she then criticizes the Generalitat for allocating money to these issues...

Speaking of the Generalitat, if you were in power, would you get rid of it?

— We would destroy the autonomous system in general. You can be Catalan or Galician without a regional parliament that costs a fortune...

That is, they would close the Parliament.

— If we closed the Parliament, the next day the Catalans would have better services, because they would be better funded, because the Parliament costs us many millions of euros that have no impact on the daily lives of Catalans.

Without Parliament and the Generalitat, would we Catalans be governed from ministries in Madrid as before?

— I think if we held a referendum and asked the Catalans to reduce the administration, including the Generalitat and the Parliament, to allocate all that money to a baby check or to ending waiting lists, the results would surprise us. I'm sure the Catalans would prefer to allocate the money these macro-structures of party influence and subsidies cost us to strengthen healthcare, for example.

So, do you think Catalans don't have the right to self-government?

— Yes, but through the city councils and provincial councils. It's the best way to govern ourselves, and I'm convinced it would demonstrate greater effectiveness and resource efficiency. The regional intermediary only entails expense, duplication, and a lack of equality.

Do you think Catalonia is sufficiently well-funded?

— I think it's very well funded. The problem is that it's very poorly managed. The proof is that Catalonia is one of the regions with the most powers and yet it manages them the worst. In education, security, penitentiary matters...

Would you return prison powers?

— I have no doubt.

And the Mossos d'Esquadra?

— We appreciate the work of the Mossos d'Esquadra, who are highly professional, except when they've been politically exploited, but we want the National Police and the Civil Guard in Catalonia, as before. Of course, we would promote bridges so that Mossos d'Esquadra officers wouldn't lose any labor rights and would become part of the National Police. Why should each region have its own regional police force? If Vox governs, it will reverse all the concessions made by the PSOE and also the PP.

What is your relationship with President Illa like?

— Nonexistent. Among other reasons, because Vox will never whitewash a political party or a president who has personally promoted a cordon sanitaire against us. And it's promoting the same policies as Pere Aragonès's government. It has even gone further and created a Ministry of Language Policy.

The truth is that with Sánchez in power, the independence movement has lost its majority in Parliament. Shouldn't that please you, as a supporter of Spanish unity?

— This is good news, but we shouldn't be complacent, because the independence movement has brought an entire national government to its knees in order to approve an amnesty that, despite the Constitutional Court's ruling, is contrary to the law.

If the Constitutional Court says so, the amnesty is legal, right? That's what the Constitution says.

— The time has come to question the Constitutional Court as it is currently constituted. It has become a branch of the Socialist Party.

So you don't recognize the legitimacy of the Constitutional Court?

— The legitimacy of the president of the Constitutional Court is highly questionable, as we have seen how he has been able to declare a law that is openly contrary to the law to be constitutional.

Do you think Mr. Feijóo would prefer to reach an agreement with Junts rather than Vox?

— I have no doubt. And I'm convinced that, if it's up to Feijóo, he'll first try to lead the PSOE's maneuver, as if it existed, which it doesn't. What he wants is to maintain the two-party system, to make deals to cover everything up. The mafias that ran the Rajoy government under Montoro are the same ones that Cerdán ran.

But are they willing to make a deal with him?

— The big question we want to ask Mr. Feijóo is whether he's willing to negotiate an investiture with the PSOE, the PNV, or Junts, or whether he truly wants to negotiate with Vox. We set two conditions. The first is to repeal absolutely all the policies promoted by the PSOE. And the second is to promote a national reconstruction plan that guarantees a housing policy, a downward fiscal policy, improved education, strengthened security, and border protection. We are convinced that, if it's up to Mr. Feijóo, he will negotiate with a PSOE without Sánchez, with the PNV, or with Junts.

Do you support everything Donald Trump does? His tariff policy, for example?

— Absolutely not. We don't agree with the idea that our producers should have to pay 15%, 30%, or 25% to export their products. But I also wish Spain or Catalonia had leaders who would defend their national products as much as Mr. Trump has.