The Updated Boabdil
If there's one thing certain about Donald Trump and his presidency, it's that he has little respect for the citizens he represents. More likely, he sees them with contempt and as milksops to be bilked of all they have. Unfortunately, bad habits are more contagious than good ones, and Trump seems to have rubbed off on our late Prime Minister, Mariano Rajoy.
Last week, a verdict came out on the Gürtel corruption trial. Most of those accused are going away for a long time. The PP party, which has held our government pretty much hostage for many years, and of which Rajoy is president, was also pronounced guilty of running a slush fund of public money illegally, and sentenced with a fine of over €250,000. Rajoy had been called to testify as a witness a few months ago, and in the sentence, the judge called into question his veracity. So, Pedro Sánchez, president of the Socialists, PSOE, and leader of the opposition, called for a vote of no-confidence against Rajoy. This past Thursday was the debate, and yesterday the vote. Finally, Rajoy and the PP were forced out of the government and Sánchez is now Prime Minister. Let's see now what happens with them.
But one of the most curious aspects of the debate last Thursday was the absence of Rajoy from the chamber in the afternoon. In the morning, he and Pedro Sánchez had debated, and at midday, recess was called for lunch. In the afternoon, the only occupant of the Prime Minister's seat was Vice-Minister's Soraya de Santamaria's bag. Rajoy had gone over to a trendy restaurant by the Puerta de Alcalá at three and still hadn't come back.
Until the end of the debate, around nine o'clock, the debaters were addressing a chair occupied by an oversized pocketbook. While the representatives of the Spanish people were explaining to it why they were about to vote out the Prime Minister and his government, Rajoy was sitting in the restaurant with some of his ministers, apparently wallowing in whisky.
This is the man who would stand up to anything to maintain Spain together, yet couldn't stand sitting in the chamber of the Congreso listening to the reasons why he should be voted out of office. The truth hurts, and few want to come face to face with it. Not Rajoy, at least. According to one account, which might be taken with a grain of salt because of the source, they downed two bottles of whisky, and Rajoy cried. Why do memories of Boabdil, the last Moorish king come to mind? The king that was sent into exile, and, that upon looking back on Granada one last time from the mountain pass, Suspiro del Moro, started crying. And of his mother, who said to him, "Lloras como un niño por lo que no supiste defender como un hombre." (You cry like a child for what you did not know how to defend like a man.)
The scenes of Rajoy leaving the restaurant at ten at night, after an eight-hour lunch, helped by his staff and bodyguards, seem to give credibility to the whisky story. He's not sure of himself, walks slowly, and has a shine on his face. What a sad way to be remembered. But, he dug his grave himself, and now he must occupy it. Power corrupts. Corruption gnaws away at decency. What is left is just money. In the end, it's not all it's cracked up to be. Though it will buy you whisky.
Last week, a verdict came out on the Gürtel corruption trial. Most of those accused are going away for a long time. The PP party, which has held our government pretty much hostage for many years, and of which Rajoy is president, was also pronounced guilty of running a slush fund of public money illegally, and sentenced with a fine of over €250,000. Rajoy had been called to testify as a witness a few months ago, and in the sentence, the judge called into question his veracity. So, Pedro Sánchez, president of the Socialists, PSOE, and leader of the opposition, called for a vote of no-confidence against Rajoy. This past Thursday was the debate, and yesterday the vote. Finally, Rajoy and the PP were forced out of the government and Sánchez is now Prime Minister. Let's see now what happens with them.
But one of the most curious aspects of the debate last Thursday was the absence of Rajoy from the chamber in the afternoon. In the morning, he and Pedro Sánchez had debated, and at midday, recess was called for lunch. In the afternoon, the only occupant of the Prime Minister's seat was Vice-Minister's Soraya de Santamaria's bag. Rajoy had gone over to a trendy restaurant by the Puerta de Alcalá at three and still hadn't come back.
Until the end of the debate, around nine o'clock, the debaters were addressing a chair occupied by an oversized pocketbook. While the representatives of the Spanish people were explaining to it why they were about to vote out the Prime Minister and his government, Rajoy was sitting in the restaurant with some of his ministers, apparently wallowing in whisky.
This is the man who would stand up to anything to maintain Spain together, yet couldn't stand sitting in the chamber of the Congreso listening to the reasons why he should be voted out of office. The truth hurts, and few want to come face to face with it. Not Rajoy, at least. According to one account, which might be taken with a grain of salt because of the source, they downed two bottles of whisky, and Rajoy cried. Why do memories of Boabdil, the last Moorish king come to mind? The king that was sent into exile, and, that upon looking back on Granada one last time from the mountain pass, Suspiro del Moro, started crying. And of his mother, who said to him, "Lloras como un niño por lo que no supiste defender como un hombre." (You cry like a child for what you did not know how to defend like a man.)
The scenes of Rajoy leaving the restaurant at ten at night, after an eight-hour lunch, helped by his staff and bodyguards, seem to give credibility to the whisky story. He's not sure of himself, walks slowly, and has a shine on his face. What a sad way to be remembered. But, he dug his grave himself, and now he must occupy it. Power corrupts. Corruption gnaws away at decency. What is left is just money. In the end, it's not all it's cracked up to be. Though it will buy you whisky.
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