- Jul 1, 2018
- 2,162
Members of the Congress of Deputies had began filing into the chamber after it was announced that the Minister of Foreign Affairs was going to be addressing the chamber in regards to the ongoing situation with the United States of America surrounding the island of Puerto Rico. Members took their seats at their designated seats within their party areas as the Congress of Deputies leadership also filed into the chamber with Meritxell Batet overseeing the business of the day. She declared that the meeting of the lower house was to be a closed sitting with no news agencies broadcasting and the public gallery was closed with only security and the members themselves present.
Meritxell Batet "The Congress of Deputies is now sitting, I call on Minister Albert Rivera to address the chamber."
Albert Rivera stood up next to the Deputy Prime Minister who he looked at and then looked around the chamber as members of his own party clapped as the President of the Congress of Deputies ordered for decorum within the chamber. The opposition parties also listened in as they discussed amongst themselves with their responses also being lined up as the meeting progressed.Albert Rivera: "Thank you for allowing an emergency sitting of the lower house today Madam President, it is an honour to address the house today. Over three thousand Spanish civilians live in Puerto Rico which the United States of America subdued our country into giving them in 1898 to end the Spanish and American war. I had made contact with the Secretary of State from the United States of America who absolutely ridiculed our request to surrender Puerto Rico to our country. They then summoned Ambassador Cristina Narbona to the White House and launched a scathing attack on her and our country which resulted in her leaving the White House to return to the embassy to carry on her duties until she was issued with a letter ordering her expulsion as Ambassador of Spain to the United States of America after she declared she was in the country to protect the rights of all Spanish civilians in the country. The Prime Minister has made a statement to the media and will be making contact with President Al Gore to make sure that Ambassador Cristina Narbona remains as the Ambassador as she remains an important figurehead within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It is also within my duty as the Minister of Foreign Affairs to inform the chamber that we will not be declaring war on the United States of America because of this dispute and we will not be removing United States Ambassador Esteban De Leon from the country. Thank you."
The opposition leader Isabel Díaz Ayuso signalled to the President of the Congress of Deputies that she wanted the floor to respond to the government, after being allowed to, she stood up from her chair as she gathered her notes together and stood firmly and close to the microphone. Her party also clapped her before she spoke as was tradition within the Spanish Congress of Deputies.
Isabel Díaz Ayuso: "Well, well, well. The government led by Pedro Sánchez is running scared when they're the ones who cause all the damage. Damaging the relations with our most important friend, then not removing the United States Ambassador when they issue a notice declaring our Ambassador persona non grata, Minister Rivera, you are one of the least experienced government ministers this country has ever had and you are also probably the worst government minister this country has ever had. You are taking this country on a crash course to having no European friends, no North or South American friends, we may as well just turn to North Korea and be friends with them because this country is being ran by a dictator and his crazy friends."
The chamber burst into a rapture of cheers from members of the People's Party and right-wing parties as opposition leader Isabel Díaz Ayuso stood down and returned to her seat. The opposition members from the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party were all twiddling their thumbs as they didn't enjoy the scathing attack from the opposition leader but that was all part of the politics. Next to speak was Gabriel Rufián from the Republican Left of Catalonia party but he had been described as the most controversial politician within the chamber.Gabriel Rufián: "Can the minister update the chamber on the government's position in regards to Gibraltar?"
Albert Rivera: "Mister Rufián, I will not update the government's position on Gibraltar as this isn't a debate on Gibraltar, this is a debate on Puerto Rico, you can send me a letter or email and I will be in touch within due course."
Members from across the chamber continued with asking questions to the Minister of Foreign Affairs in relation to Puerto Rico with a three hour time slot given. Once the session had concluded then members from across the political spectrum departed the chamber and continued with their day to day business on representing members of their constituencies from across Spain and then government ministers returned to their offices to continue their day to day business with being a government minister.
