SANCHEZ APPEARANCE | “This is a circus”, “a defamation commission”: The outstanding phrases of Pedro Sánchez in the Senate

Pedro Sánchez comparece este jueves en la comisión del Senado que investiga el caso Koldo, convirtiéndose en el segundo presidente de Gobierno obligado a responder a las preguntas de una comisión, después de que José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero hiciera lo propio en 2004 en la comisión que investigaba el 11M.

En un duro interrogatorio plagado de rifirrafes con la oposición, el líder socialista ha defendido la legalidad de la financiación del PSOE después de las últimas imágenes de sobres con dinero en efectivo; ha asegurado desconocer la vida personal de Ábalos y ha cargado contra la comisión de investigación del Senado: “Esto es un circo“, ha repetido en varias ocasiones durante su comparecencia.

• “Estoy convencido de que en alguna ocasión he podido liquidar gastos, siempre con factura, como secretario general del PSOE”.
• “Si usted me pregunta si es normal que se liquide en efectivo, siempre y contra la factura todo lo que representen adelantos por parte de responsables del PSOE, yo lo veo normal, siempre dentro de los límites de la realidad”.
• “En el PSOE no existen sobresueldos, lo que hay es que los altos cargos, como es mi caso, lo que hacemos es aportar parte de nuestro sueldfo a financiación regular de la organización. Hay otros partidos que tienen esos sobresueldos”.
• “Ábalos fue una persona de mi máxima confianza política, las cualidades políticas de Ábalos nada tenían que ver con sus hábitos y cotidianidad que yo desde luego desconocía”.
• “Los hábitos personales [de Ábalos] that we have known in those recordings, not only disappoints me but disgusts me.
• “This is a defamation commission, not an investigation.”
• “I think this is a circus, more than a commission.”
• “Mr. Feijóo hid his real salary from this group from the Senate, he declared his base salary as a senator while earning almost 40,000 euros in representation expenses and another 32,000 euros for presiding over his group. That is to say, a 72,000-euro bonus that he hid by violating the regulations of this chamber.”
• “When the mud dries, the truth will be seen, and the truth is that this is a clean Government and when it has seen the slightest hint of corruption, what it has done is act with the maximum forcefulness, things that previous Governments have not done in the past.”
• “The previous administration has not overcome the 2008 motion of censure neither in political terms nor in psychological terms.”
• “The systemic corruption that the PP brought to all administrations ended in 2008 with the motion of censure.”
• “Informs me of the visit of the vice president of Venezuela [Delcy Rodríguez] to Spain which occurred, I seem to remember, in January 2020 (…). At that time I was unaware that the vice president had personal sanctions prohibiting her from setting foot on European soil and the moment I became aware of this I informed Ábalos that the vice president of Venezuela cannot be on Spanish soil.”
• “The relationship that I had with Koldo García was absolutely anecdotal. I don’t remember how many times I spoke with him, but I assure you that they were the minimum possible.”
• “Of course my wife had nothing to do with the rescue of Air Europa.”
• “When Koldo García was arrested, I demanded José Luis Ábalos’s deputy record. There was even a certain disbelief in the organization that said ‘why do we have to make a decision of those characteristics’. We did it.”
• “A motion of censure cannot be instrumental in changing the Government and calling elections. In the end what the PP and Vox do is twist the Constitution.”
• A summary is not a sentence and nor is an accusation a conviction. Mr. Feijóo seems to have forgotten that.”
• “They have not given me money hidden in cigar boxes in cash.”
• “There is only one Gürtel and it is on Génova Street, not at the headquarters of the Socialist Party.”
• “It is unacceptable that the sludge machine be used as it is being used.”
• “I can guarantee you that I have had no relationship with Mr. Aldama. Absolutely none.”
• “I do not know nor have I had a relationship with Mr. Víctor de Aldama. I have not met at all.”

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