Thousands of people cry out against the “betrayal” of the Government to the victims of ETA

“So far we have come”. Thousands of people have gathered today at noon in the center of Madrid to cry out “enough is enough” against the government’s “betrayal” of the victims of ETA terrorism. The attendees, summoned by the AVT, have censored the contacts between the Executive of Pedro Sánchez and the environment of ETA prisoners, uncovered by an investigation by the Civil Guard. These conversations are proof -in the words of Maite Araluce, the group’s president- that there is a “planned strategy” between the nationalist left and the Executive to “whitewash” those who “have not yet condemned the murder of our loved ones », in «the equidistance» between «the enemies of our democracy and the victims».

‘Not everything goes, treacherous government. Justice for the victims of terrorism’ has been the motto of the mobilization, which has filled Madrid’s Plaza de Colón with the waving of Spanish flags and which has concluded with the national anthem. Several victims of the gang, representatives of other affected associations, national police, civil guards, officials from Penitentiary Institutions and delegations of the PP, Vox and Citizens attended the appointment.

The call has certified the bankruptcy of the AVT not only with Sánchez, against whom it has been called to activate the vote so that he “leave” Moncloa, but singularly with the Minister of the Interior. The organizers have called to “vaccinate” against “the virus” that has transmuted Fernando Grande-Marlaska from “implacable judge” against ETA to responsible for the end of the dispersion. Faced with Araluce’s statement that he regrets having awarded the minister the medal of merit from the AVT, the congregants, after demanding his resignation, have chanted “take it off.” And so it will be, the president of the association has announced.

Araluce has put figures to his complaint – he has estimated ETA prisoners in jail at 117, only one already in the first degree, the most severe -, he has failed the ‘ongi etorris’ that are not celebrated “in any other place in the world” and he has said he feels that so much suffering “has been useless” before a government that “takes us for fools.” The promoters have expressly thanked the support of the PP, Vox and Ciudadanos and have wondered “if the PSOE has not killed people.”

The AVT has been very critical since EH Bildu became part of the usual partners of the PSOE-United We Can Government, especially for its support of the Budgets, which it sees as a counterpart to free or bring inmates from the gang closer to prisons in Euskadi and Navarra. The association chaired by Maite Araluce said it had confirmed its suspicions when the conversations between the Secretary General of Penitentiary Institutions and prominent leaders of the nationalist left such as Antonio López Ruiz, ‘Kubati, Joseba Azkarraga and Julen Arzuaga were revealed. A revelation that followed the admission by Arnaldo Otegi that EH Bildu supports Sánchez to ease the situation of the prisoners.

Added to this was Congress’s refusal of a bill presented by the PP aimed at avoiding the ‘ongi etorris’, public tributes to ETA prisoners recently released from prison. The initiative, which was voted on in February, only got the endorsement of Vox and Cs, in addition to the popular deputies themselves. In AVT’s opinion, “once again the Sánchez government turned its back on the victims of terrorism” by pressing the same button as the EH Bildu representatives.