Sánchez justifies the amnesty for the independentists because "the circumstances are what they are"

He maintains that the law that will benefit those involved in the process is "perfectly legal" and "in accordance with the Constitution"

The PSOE candidate for the investiture, Pedro Sánchez, has justified the granting of an amnesty to those involved in the independence process in Catalonia, ensuring that "the circumstances are what they are."

In his first intervention before the deputies to ask for their confidence, he defended the law and assured that it is "perfectly legal" and "in accordance with the Constitution", despite the fact that before the 23J elections, Sánchez himself maintained that a amnesty was not possible because it was unconstitutional.

"The circumstances are what they are and we have to make a virtue of necessity," said Sánchez, using the same expression that he used in the last Federal Committee of the PSOE, when he defended the amnesty for the first time before his party.

He has also stressed that he is taking this measure out of "general interest", first of all to "consolidate the progress" made in the last four years and to "continue moving forward along the path of coexistence and progress", as he expressed.

In this way he reiterated: "in the name of Spain and in the name of Spain's interest and in defense of harmony between Spaniards, we are going to grant an amnesty to the people prosecuted by the Catalan process."

He has also maintained that it is a measure "requested by a relevant part of Catalan society" and that "80% of its political representatives" approve, as well as a "large majority" of forces with representation in the Congress of Deputies. .

Sánchez - who dedicated 20 minutes of a speech that lasted a total of one hour and 45 minutes to the amnesty - also addressed citizens critical of this measure and said that "he greatly respects their opinions and also their emotions." , but the circumstances are what they are and we have to make a virtue out of necessity."

To defend the measure, he has pointed out that the Constitutional Court has previously signed amnesties and similar rules are being applied in other surrounding countries, "consolidated democracies" as he has highlighted such as France, Italy, Germany and the United Kingdom and he has pointed out that a few months ago An amnesty has been approved in Portugal.

The candidate for the Presidency of the Government has also defended that the grace measure "can help overcome the fracture that opened on October 1, 2017", the day in which the illegal referendum was held in Catalonia, to continue "bringing positions closer" and even to "persuade" the separatists that Spain "is a good country for them too, that Catalonia is ready for total reunion and that we have to have the courage to take a step forward," as he expressed.

ASKS THE PP FOR RESPONSIBILITY AND SENSE OF STATE

Regarding the criticisms that PP and Vox are launching, Sánchez considers that in reality these parties have no problem with the amnesty for the leaders of the process and what happens is that "they do not accept the electoral result" of last July 23.

"So, no matter how much fuss they make, no matter how much they try to patrimonialize the flag, which belongs to everything, and the constitutional symbols, which belong to everyone, we know that the reactionary right-wingers care very little about the amnesty," he added.

Along the same lines, he has demanded from the Popular Party "responsibility and sense of State" and although he has not asked for their support because, as he affirms, he knows that he will not have it, he has asked for "sanity and coherence."

Addressing the PP deputies, he asked them not to continue "on the path marked by Vox" which in his opinion represents a "Trumpist" drift that fuels conspiracies and anti-democratic behavior. Therefore, he affirms that if the PP continues to consider itself a state party "it cannot act at the dictates of a far-right organization" as, as he has indicated, has happened in recent weeks.

In the midst of the street protests that have occurred in recent days against the amnesty law and the pacts of the PSOE with the pro-independence forces, he has warned the PP that they cannot sow discord again and has reminded them of the boycott of Catalan products, during the years of the process.

"What they did was fan the fire of hatred, ladies and gentlemen. That is why I ask the Popular Party for responsibility and a sense of State. I am not asking for your support, and I already know that I am not going to have it. I only ask for sanity and coherence, and I emphasize coherence," he indicated.

INDULTOS A FREE LAND

The socialist candidate has continued to attack the PP and wanted to highlight that this party has also made concessions to the nationalist parties when it needed their votes, including grace measures.

In this sense, he stated that the PP granted "1,400 pardons in a single day" and recalled that the PP Government of José María Aznar pardoned members of the terrorist organization Terra Lliure. "What a scandal, Mr. Feijóo," Sánchez said in an ironic tone.

It should be remembered that Aznar granted pardons to 16 members of the Terra Lliure in 1996, although the process had been started by the previous socialist Executive of Felipe González. Both PP and PSOE were responding to a request from Justice, since the National Court, in the sentencing ruling itself, requested a pardon because there had been no victims, the damage was slight and, furthermore, the organization had already been dissolved.

"I want to inform you that the one who launches proclamations and slander saying that all of Spain should mobilize against this evil Sánchez, since they handed over numerous powers to the autonomous governments of the Basque Country and Catalonia when they needed the votes of nationalism," he reproached.

He has also stressed that the economic powers that "sponsor and protect the right and the extreme right are not worried about the amnesty" and in fact know that it will be good for the country's economy; but they do not want a socialist government to continue applying social measures such as job and salary improvements for workers.