equal distance
Across social networks, Vox signaled support for a demonstration planned for the upcoming Wednesday near the PSPV headquarters in Alicante, even though the government sub-delegation had not granted authorization. The message came from Mario Ortolá, a deputy speaker at the local City Council, and drew opposition from Manuel Villar of the PP, who stated that protests in front of party buildings would not receive backing. This sequence prompted Miguel Millana, the PSPV secretary in Alicante, to lament the rising tension, while Vox blocked an institutional declaration in the Valencia Cortes that condemned the concentration at socialist centers.
Far from easing tensions, the backlash following the amnesty for independence leaders continues to deepen. Rallies have taken place at socialist centers nationwide, including an event in Ferraz on Monday night. In this context, a protest was planned in Alicante for 20:00 on Wednesday, with no authorization requested for the demonstration.
On Tuesday, Ortolá affirmed that Vox would back all mobilizations supported by civil society around the socialist center, specifically citing the amnesty negotiations as a coup. He added that the party would support a community of young patriots whose aim is to stop what he described as a coup carried out by a treacherous party like PSOE.
Nevertheless, Manuel Villar, the municipal spokesman, stated that the PP has no role in backing such actions. He noted that the PP met in Valencia on Sunday and that was the sole event attended; the party would not back another rally in front of any party headquarters because he believes it would not reflect democratic principles. He also mentioned upcoming events the PP has called for in state capitals next Sunday, clarifying that those should not involve demonstrations in front of party headquarters.
Amid these exchanges, Miguel Millana, the PSPV general secretary in Alicante, criticized Ortolá for what he described as slander, calling it unbecoming of a public official. He lamented the worsening crisis and condemned the PP for failing to issue a direct condemnation of the concentrations, arguing that this is especially troubling coming from a party that holds government responsibility. Millana sees a troubling pattern in the public discourse surrounding these protests.
The clash in Alicante occurred as Vox, opposing in the Valencian Cortes, blocked the passage of the institutional declaration aimed at condemning the actions at the socialist center. The draft text highlighted attacks on the socialist center and on democratic parties, along with threats, insults, and aggression toward their militants. It also referenced repeated chants against the Constitution, the Head of State, and the Head of Government, alongside praise for dictatorship in rallies organized by far-right groups.
In the broader scene, PSPV leader Ximo Puig challenged the PP’s claimed neutrality during the rally, criticizing what he called the party’s refusal to take a clear stance. He recalled a recent visit by Feijóo to the Valencian Community and noted that soon after, far-right groups surrounded the party headquarters. Puig argued that the far right is driving the conflict and that those who shield it share responsibility, suggesting a spiral of hostility is taking hold.
Genralitat President Carlos Mazón characterized the latest events as noise arising from a flawed amnesty process. He argued that attempts are being made to erode the core values of the Spanish Constitution and urged citizens to participate in peaceful demonstrations in suitable spaces across capital cities to express their concerns.