Sánchez's communist allies are now demanding punishment for insults against the government: in 2021 they said they were 'freedom of speech'

Amid a wave of corruption scandals, the government of Pedro Sánchez and his communist allies are opting for authoritarianism.

Sánchez's communist partners want Spain to have political prisoners again
Sánchez's communist partners express their “full support” for the Maduro dictatorship

This Wednesday, Enrique Santiago, deputy for Sumar and general secretary of the Communist Party of Spain (PCE, to which ministers Yolanda Díaz and Sira Rego belong), demanded that the judiciary prosecute insults against the government, stating: "You cannot constantly label as criminals and thieves people who represent the entire country and who hold positions in high state institutions with a judiciary that is completely passive in the face of these attacks and that tears its hair out, confusing the impact on the judiciary with mere criticism." typical of a democracy."

The communist leader demonstrates a highly asymmetrical concept of freedom of speech. Now he demands the prosecution of insults against the government, but last year Enrique Santiago accused the Catholic Church of supporting the "coup-plotting and anti-democratic right wing" simply because a bishop called for early elections or a vote of no confidence —a perfectly respectable request that falls entirely within the framework of the constitutional right to freedom of speech.

It should be noted that the Spanish Penal Code punishes slander, libel, and serious threats against the Government of the Nation in its Article 504. This article has never been applied to prosecute criticism of a government, not even insults. The communist leader seems to have a very bad memory in this regard, because in September 2021 Enrique Santiago defended the repeal of that Article in the Congress of Deputies, along with other articles of the Penal Code (such as those that punish insults against Spain or the glorification of terrorism) because he considered it contrary to freedom of expression.

The website of Izquierda Unida, an electoral brand used by the PCE since 1986, includes this reference to the words of Enrique Santiago in that debate:

He devoted little time to the crime of insulting state institutions (article 504 of the Penal Code), because “except for some exceptions, it has never been applied, because institutions in a democratic system must be exposed to criticism from citizens. It is ineffective because it is inapplicable and we must avert the risk that someone might think of applying it”.

Ironically, the same person who warned of the risk that "someone might think of applying it" is now demanding its use to prosecute criticism and insults against the government. In 2021, Enrique de Santiago seemed unconcerned about such conduct because that penal article also punishes slander, libel, and serious threats against the Judiciary.

On the other hand, the same communist leader who now demands the prosecution of insults against the government also called in that debate for the legalization of slander and insults against the King and offenses against Spain, stating that this type of crime was being used "to repress freedom of speech and criticism against symbols."

If we take into account the words spoken yesterday by the communist leader, it seems that in Spain the only thing that should have legal protection against insults is the government, precisely when it is being mired in a wave of corruption cases and abuses of power. Perhaps Enrique Santiago intends to turn Spain into something similar to his admired Cuban communist dictatorship?

---

Photo: PCE.