Spain is just one match away from lifting the World Cup for the second time in its history after defeating France with overwhelming superiority in the semifinals. When the national team plays, there is an opinion column by Mariano Rajoy, and this time the attention to the words of the former Prime Minister was at its peak after his previous one caused a great political stir by talking about a French team that plays “without French players.”
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Far from retracting the comment labeled as racist and which has caused great outrage—from Spain to Brussels and France—Rajoy has appealed to the “good humor” of his words and criticized the government for having used his article in El Debate to “distract attention.”
He claims that the government is more interested “in tattling to a foreign minister” or “making a bow to a prime minister to create noise”
Under the title “You have to have good humor,” Rajoy has stated that the previous text was interpreted with an agenda. He mocks the criticism he has received from Pedro Sánchez’s government and thanks the authorities for “the attention they have given me in this World Cup.” In any case, he regrets that “so much effort dedicated to praising” his “virtues” has distracted these “authorities” from other issues that are on everyone’s mind, worry people, and should concern the authorities.”
According to Rajoy, the government is more interested “in tattling to a foreign minister” or “making a bow to a prime minister to create noise, distract attention” and “not talk about what we are experiencing.” “They don’t apologize for anything. This, apparently, always falls on others,” he says to justify not apologizing. And he adds: “You already know how I am and what I think. Long live Spain. We have won once again.”
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The former leader has appealed to “good humor” and thanked those who continue reading his writings and greeting him “on the street,” “especially yesterday and today,” in the former prime minister’s first statements after the controversy. These words sparked various criticisms from French political leaders, from Marine Le Pen to the French government, labeling his statement as “racist” and “unacceptable.”
Rajoy’s criticisms come after the meeting between the Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, and the French Prime Minister, Sébastien Lecornu, this Tuesday on the occasion of France’s National Day, and after the letter from the Foreign Minister, José Manuel Albares, to his counterpart in France to convey that Rajoy’s column does not reflect “the majority sentiment of Spaniards.”
Additionally, the spokesperson minister, Elma Saiz, has reproached the former prime minister for not apologizing for his words.
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