Sánchez apologizes to Lula and other leaders gathered in Barcelona for Ayuso’s insults

Eduardo González The Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, apologized this Friday to the President of Brazil and the other leaders gathered in Barcelona for the IV Meeting in Defense of Democracy for the insults made by the President of the Community of Madrid, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, who accused the head of the government of meeting with "narco-states." During an official trip to Brussels, Ayuso compared Saturday's event in Madrid by Venezuelan opposition leader Corina Machado, in which "the Puerta del Sol will become kilometer zero of freedom, of the free world," with the meeting of "narco-states around President Sánchez, who wants to establish himself as the leader of a confederation of countries that are not exactly known for being liberal democracies, quite the opposite." Ayuso was referring specifically to the Barcelona meeting, which will be attended by the President of the European Council, António Costa; the presidents of Colombia, Gustavo Petro; Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum; Uruguay, Yamandú Orsi; South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa; and Ireland, Catherine Connolly; and the Prime Minister of Lithuania, Inga Ruginiené, among other leaders. “Both she and Mr. (the leader of Vox, Santiago) Abascal are very eager to actively participate in this progressive summit,” Sánchez declared at the joint press conference with the President of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, at the conclusion of the Spain-Brazil Summit in Barcelona. “The problem is that they always do it in their own way, elbowing their way in, insulting, and showing disrespect, not only to people who have been democratically elected, but even to entire countries, entire nations,” he denounced. “But I'm not going to give them the satisfaction of taking the bait,” he asserted. “What I know I’m going to do, to President Lula and the other leaders who are also joining us at this important summit this weekend in Barcelona, is apologize on behalf of Spanish society, because it’s clear that Spanish society, which is open, welcoming, and respectful, does not feel represented by these insults, in this case from the president of the Community of Madrid,” he added. President Lula made no comment on the matter, despite being specifically asked about Ayuso’s remarks.

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