It is common to see personalities from the world of politics go to television sets to be interviewed. And if there is someone who is used to getting these meetings, it is Jordi Évole. The presenter has always been characterized by his way of interviewing his guests, among whom are mostly presidents, mayors and deputies.
This time, it was the former President of the Government, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, who did not hesitate to sit down on the program Lo de Évole, on La Sexta, to review the 11-M attacks, 20 years after the tragedy.
Not only have two decades passed since the worst attack in the history of Spain, but it has also been 20 years since Zapatero’s victory in the elections against all odds. Three days after the terrible event, the former leader of the PSOE overtook Mariano Rajoy. After this, the winner of the night received a call from Aznar alerting him about the difficult task he had from that very moment, as he revealed in the program.
Although Zapatero came to power a few hours after an attack, there were also others during his seven years in office. Among other things, he has made it clear that he handled “visiting the mothers of the victims” very badly, since it impressed him “extremely”: “He is the greatest horror. He has no comparison.” This was when he wanted to remember the Spanair attack and how “a lot” he suffered from it.
And despite claiming to have had a bad time with the attacks, the former president wanted to demand the end of ETA “forever” during his mandate. According to him, he knew that they would not return because “the leadership of the terrorist group assured him.” Likewise, he has been very harsh with the Popular Party for using the group’s name currently: “The PP questioned everything during the municipal elections, they said that ETA was winning.”
Added to this is his claim to have carried out the equal marriage law and the “hypocrisy” of the PP in that sense. “They are in the demonstration against the equal marriage law, which they challenged, and it turns out that the law is approved and a few months later couples from the PP begin to get married and Rajoy goes to a wedding,” he expressed forcefully.
But he has not hesitated to address aspects of his own political party either. Jordi Évole wanted to know when he changed his mind and became a “sanchista”. “There are two key moments. When he does a task of integrating the party and (…) the task that he has done after the pandemic.” Zapatero has stated that by seeing Pedro Sánchez’s mandate and his policies, he has earned his support.
Among other things, Zapatero has stated that he still loves Felipe González and that he contributed a lot to the PSOE despite “his last moments.” “I can’t understand it, honestly. He also went through very difficult times and we all supported him,” he said before Évole.
When asked by Évole about his possible return to the front line of the political sphere, he was blunt: “The cycle of running for elections is over.” Furthermore, he has stated that he has “reflected” and believes that everyone who is to come will be “better” than himself. With this, he completely rules out running as a candidate for the Community or the mayor of the Spanish capital.
And in this interview he has not been able to avoid the issue that is monopolizing this PSOE legislature. The former president has stated that there cannot be “taboo” topics and believes that “it is the most important law of the legislature.” He in turn admits that he is good at “working politically” for the future.
José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero has also addressed the issue of the Koldo case. The former president has applauded the work of Pedro Sánchez in this entire matter. “There has not been any leader of the PSOE who has said that this is a plot against the party,” he added before stating that something like this did happen with the PP when the Gürtel case broke out.
And continuing with the role of the PSOE in Spanish politics, he stated that the party must “get the candidates right” to return to what it was at the regional and municipal level. Something that is not done “in three months.” Even so, he affirms that he gives “great value to the task of opposition.”
