The Alvise case, a distraction and a sad message sent to Spanish society

Three months ago, commenting on the corruption cases of the Spanish socialists, I said something here that is applicable to any politician.

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On June 8, I told you that in democratic countries, political leaders are required to be exemplary. Why? Because we entrust them with the responsibility of governing us and passing the laws that serve to order our society. As experience shows, power corrupts, and that is why we must be vigilant and demanding with those who exercise it, and that demand must begin from the moment they run for public office.

A few days ago, Eldiario.es published screenshots of WhatsApp messages according to which MEP Alvise Pérez, from the electoral group "Se acaba la fiesta", had received 100,000 euros irregularly, money donated by a businessman to finance his campaign for the European elections. According to these messages, the donation would have been made to avoid the control of the Court of Auditors, which is in charge of auditing the income and expenses of political parties.

In a recording published by the aforementioned media outlet, Alvise is heard offering political favours to the businessman who donated the money. This week it was learned that the Public Prosecutor's Office will investigate Alvise Pérez for alleged illegal financing of his campaign for the European elections, based on this information.

This Friday, perhaps following the advice of his lawyer, Alvise Pérez admitted to having received those 100,000 euros in cash, claiming that it was payment in cash for a freelance job. It is reasonable to assume that this explanation, which is called into question in light of the evidence published this week, seeks to avoid a fine for a possible electoral crime that could reach 500,000 euros.

That same day, in a message to his followers, Pérez assured that the matter would be resolved with a fine of 25,000 euros if it had been as he says ("Alvise Pérez would face a fine of 25% of the total for accepting €100,000 as a self-employed person without an invoice", he said in the third person, speaking of himself). An explanation with which he reveals his defense strategy, the success of which remains to be seen.

Regardless of whether the courts accept the MEP's explanation, one fact is clear: in his declaration of assets as an MEP (see PDF), where he said that his work is as a self-employed political analyst and consultant, Alvise indicated in the income box: "no remuneration, only donations". An alleged payment of 100,000 euros for a job would not be a donation, but a remuneration. In addition, Alvise Pérez left the box for the amount of income blank.

Alvise Pérez is a politician who has made the fight against corruption and in favor of transparency his banner, principles that he has been seasoning with accusations against politicians, judges and journalists. Throwing that regenerationist speech overboard, this Friday Alvise excused himself by stating: "Who hasn't made small moral sacrifices to get where they are?" Calling offering political favors in exchange for money "moral sacrifices" is on the same rhetorical plane as Sánchez when he says that his lies are changes of opinion.

It is astonishing to hear this kind of explanation from someone who presented himself as the "scourge of the corrupt". However, it would be unfair to attribute double standards exclusively to him when talking about political ethics. Ultimately, Alvise is not alone: ​​thousands of people have bought into his speech. His message on Telegram acknowledging the collection of those 100,000 euros has more than 11,600 thumbs up, in a sign of approval. In the comments, many of Alvise's followers have praised him for behavior that they would surely consider reprehensible in a political rival.

With this, Alvise and his most loyal followers are sending a sad message to Spanish society: that their regenerative speech was only valid for other politicians, but not for the "scourge of the corrupt." With this, in addition, in the midst of scandals in the PSOE and the Sánchez government, they are doing a favor to the corrupt left, which is now using Alvise as a distraction, not because he has done anything comparable to the colossal scandals of the socialists (compared to them, the Alvise case is ridiculous, and furthermore, this case does not involve public funds), but because in the end they all react in the same way when they are caught: blaming others.

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Image: Alvise Pérez YouTube Channel.