By In recent weeks, alleged cases of corruption in Spain have continued to emerge, particularly with the latest report from the UCO (the police force specializing in investigation), which caused such a large political earthquake that Santos Cerdán, number 3 in the PSOE and secretary general of the party, resigned.
Furthermore, reports of corruption, audio recordings, messages, etc., continue to emerge, which could ultimately lead to the fall of the socialist government in Spain.
For this reason, The Long Brief has decided to interview José Antonio Fúster. Fúster is the national spokesperson and provincial president for Vox in Madrid. He has been a member of the Madrid Assembly since 2023.
What is Vox’s assessment of the indictment of José Luis Ábalos, Santos Cerdán, and Koldo García (former advisor of Ábalos) for an alleged network of rigged contracts at the Ministry of Transport?
Pedro Sánchez ran the primary campaign that propelled him to the leadership of the Socialist Party with three people. Of the four people in that car, three have already been directly charged with corruption. Pedro Sánchez is the only one left, and his wife and brother have also been charged with corruption.
It is only a matter of time before the fourth person, President Sánchez, along with many others, also ends up in front of a judge.
And VOX will be there to ensure that the number one figure in the corruption scheme ends up behind bars.
Does Vox believe that this “Koldo case” could have real political consequences, or will it, as in other cases, be absorbed by the slowness of the judicial system?
He has already caused them. Unfortunately for us, Sánchez has further damaged Spain’s image. This has political and economic consequences. The mistrust of the entire world, except for his Bolivarian allies, harms us as a nation.
But I don’t want to dodge the question. It doesn’t matter how slow justice is. If the Spanish people want it, this will end soon with the worst possible outcome for Sánchez and the best for Spain.
Your party has repeatedly said that there must be a motion of no confidence (they cannot do so because they need two deputies), but the PP says that it is not the ‘right move’. Why do you think it should be presented, and why do you think the PP is not doing so?
For democratic reasons, because of the vital need for the Congress of Deputies to respond to what is a clamor in Spanish society. And because only decisive and urgent action can push President Sánchez to render what will be his only service to the nation: to go home and prepare his defense in court.
At VOX, we believe that there are battles that, even if lost, are necessary to win the war against an autocrat.
Unfortunately, the Popular Party does not want to do anything because it is hostage to its own corruption, which already cost it the government. It only hopes to inherit power by appealing to a “useful vote” that does not exist. It only wants to oust Sánchez without touching a single socialist policy, appealing to a “good PSOE.” In this regard, I just want to remind you that there has never been a good PSOE, just as there has never been a useful PP.
Signs of protesters criticising Sánchez and the Catalan independence movement at an SCC demonstration in Barcelona, 8 October 2023 (Photo: VOX Espana / Wikimedia Commons)
Do you think that after all this, Sánchez will finally resign or remain in power until 2027?
He must resign, but if Mr. Feijóo does nothing now, Sánchez will hold out as long as he can to complete a reform of the method of access to the judiciary and replace the job of investigating judges with prosecutors loyal to the PSOE. It will be the end of what little remained of the separation of powers in Spain and a free pass for political corruption.
If there ends up being an early election, do you think Vox could reach the 20 percent threshold? Polls indicate that your party continues to rise in popularity.
We don’t trust polls, but it’s true that they reflect a trend. And that trend tells us that Spaniards are fed up with the two-party system of the Popular Party and the Socialist Party. VOX has extraordinary strength among young people, and we are mobilizing the vote of abstainers. The future is ours.
Do you think that if Vox and the PP secure a majority, there could be a coalition government, or will it be like in Portugal, Germany, and Austria?
The PP is merely a branch of Germany’s CDU.
We don’t see it as being in a position to impose on its bosses in Europe what Spaniards know is best… for Spaniards. The day the PP realizes that its bosses are its voters and not the European champagne socialists and their socialist allies, perhaps we can reach some kind of agreement.
Finally, do you think this will have real consequences—and possibly criminal ones—for Pedro Sánchez and his inner circle?
I have no doubt whatsoever. As has been demonstrated, there are still honest police officers and judges serving Spain. What VOX will do when it comes to power – and that day will come – is to ensure that there are many more of them so that Spain can once again be a country with honest politicians.
That will be the only way to make Spain great again and respected in the world.
