The squid tactic of Spanish Putinism in the face of Russian support for Catalan separatism

@ElentirENG ES 2·06·2024 · 19:35 0

In Spain, an especially serious situation is occurring after learning more details about the Kremlin's support for Catalan separatism.

Russia's support for separatism in Spain and the support of Spanish separatists for Russia
Neither with Soros nor with Putin: the Russian interference in Catalonia and the Spanish right

We are facing a scenario as worrying as the fact that The Sánchez government already knew of the contacts between its separatist partners and Russia, but despite this it implemented a law of amnesty that could serve to prevent investigation of this Russian interference, and could even leave those responsible unpunished if the Justice finally condemns them for a crime of treason.

A fact like this should cause scandal in all areas of our society. However, there is a very specific sector that is finding itself in a very embarrassing position. I am referring to those who for years have not only denied, but have even ridiculed Russian interference, denying its existence, downplaying its importance or even presenting it as a fabrication. There is a paradox that today we have much more evidence of this Russian plot than of many conspiracy theories promoted by Putin's sympathizers in Spain, but according to them what we should believe are those theories and not what the evidence tells us about Russian inherence in Catalonia.

On the other hand, in recent days, pro-Russian propagandists in Spain have begun to resort to the squid tactic to hide this interference. Just as the mollusk shoots a jet of ink to cloud the water when it is attacked, the tactic of Putin's sympathizers in Spain consists of downgrading the relevance of this Russian plot and laying a smoke screen over it , in which they affirm that the separatists would have contacted not only Russia, but also other foreign powers.

There is an obvious objection to this smokescreen: how many foreign powers offered 10,000 soldiers and 500,000 million dollars to the Catalan separatists? Right now we only have evidence that something like that was offered by Russia. There is not the slightest indication that any other country had made a remotely similar offer.

On the other hand, Russian propagandists in Spain describe this Russian offer to Catalan separatism as unreal, stating that it lacks any credibility. Certainly, it is difficult to believe that Russia was willing to make that offer a reality, or that the separatists believed it, but that offer existed and had a clear intention: to make separatism feel supported by a great foreign power. On the other hand, it does not seem that the separatists took the Kremlin's offer lightly, since Puigdemont ordered the creation of three working groups to create the Catalan cryptobank that Russia demanded of him.

Finally, it is worth asking: what would have been the reaction of Russian propagandists if a similar plot had been discovered but originating in the US or the United Kingdom? These propagandists have been maintaining the thesis for years that the Anglo-Saxons They hate Spain and conspire against us, but when it is discovered that it is the Kremlin that was conspiring against Spain, they downplay it and launch a distraction tactic, since they have spent years supporting Putin and denying their interference in Spain (or even justifying them).

At this point, it is worth asking what concept of patriotism have those who act as pawns of the Kremlin in this matter, and I say this because some of them define themselves as patriots. How do you explain that in the face of evidence indicating that a foreign power supported those who sought to break up Spain, their reaction is to try to cover it up? From a felon like Sánchez, who only thinks about his personal interest, one would expect something like that, but not from patriots.

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Photo: Gavriil Grigorov/AFP.