The Government criticizes Feijóo's "ignorance" and asks him if "the King also meets autocrats"

SANTO DOMINGO, March 25. (From the special envoy of EUROPA PRESS, Leyre Guijo) -

The Government has harshly criticized this Saturday the "ignorance" shown by the opposition leader, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, questioning the presence of the President of the Government at the Ibero-American Summit and has reminded him that King Felipe VI also participates in the meeting.

In an act in Madrid under the slogan 'Europe is Hispanic', the president of the PP has shown himself "very proud" of "not paying homage to apprentice rulers of autocrats and truly autocrats" who "use their peoples not to improve and prosper , but to improve and prosper them". "I don't miss meeting with some of the leaders of the Spanish-American nations," he added.

Government sources have reminded Feijóo that in Santo Domingo, in addition to Sánchez, there is also the head of state and the High Representative for Foreign Policy of the EU, Josep Borrell. "Is the King also meeting with autocrats?" The sources have had an impact, for which the words of the opposition leader show "ignorance and irresponsibility."

"It is an honor and a privilege" to be at this summit, sources have abounded, stressing that only Spain and Portugal are represented at these meetings by the head of state and the head of government. In its XXVIII edition, only thirteen heads of state have attended Santo Domingo.

On the other hand, the Government has also reminded Feijóo that the convening of the summit between the EU and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), which will take place in July in Brussels, corresponds to the President of the Council, Charles Michel , as already happened with the one with the African Union in February 2022 under the French Presidency and also in the European capital.

In this sense, they have highlighted the importance of this event taking place, since it has not been held since 2015, and that the EU also wants to get involved in closer relations with Latin America, one of the objectives that Spain has set for itself facing his current Presidency of the block in the second semester.

Before the start of the plenary session of the summit, Sánchez took the opportunity to hold a bilateral meeting with the president of Ecuador, Guillermo Lasso, whose country will host the next Ibero-American Summit in November 2024 in Quito.

Likewise, it has maintained a trilateral relationship with the President of Argentina, Alberto Fernández, and the High Representative for Foreign Policy of the EU, Josep Borrell, who has been invited to participate in the Santo Domingo meeting.

At this meeting, in addition to the EU-CELAC summit, the three have discussed the trade agreement between the bloc and Mercosur, pending approval, taking advantage of the fact that Argentina currently holds the presidency of said organization. Both parties are aware of the difficulties, but maintain constructive positions with a view to resolving them, the sources have specified.