After possession of Gustavo Petro in the presidency of Colombia, an act in which the new president ordered to bring the Bolivar’s swordafter the refusal to lend it by the now former president Iván Duque, a good number of comments arose and opened a controversy due to the alleged rudeness on the part of the King of Spain Felipe VI before the emblematic weapon.
And all this, because the king did not stand up and remained seated when the guard of the House of Nariño entered with the famous sword at the inauguration last Sunday.
With the transfer from the presidential house to the Plaza de Bolívar, where Petro was sworn in, the special guests at the ceremony stood up and there was a standing ovation.
The gesture of the Spanish monarch caused a great controversy both in Colombia and in Spain. In his country, several political leaders and the media criticized Felipe VI’s attitude, although many others showed their support.
“We should not dwell on details without too much importance and totally minor when the important thing is that a new stage of relations with Colombia is opening,” said the Minister of the Presidency, Félix Bolaños, on Tuesday. “I believe that the solidity and friendship between Spain and Colombia is absolute and proof of this is the delegation that Spain sent to the inauguration of the new president, headed by His Majesty the King, accompanied by the Minister of Foreign Affairs”, the official pointed out.
That prompted an immediate response from the leftist Podemos party, which called the act a “serious” disrespect.
“Bolivar’s sword represents the sovereignty of Latin America. King Felipe VI has been the only head of state who has remained seated next to him at the inauguration of the new president of Colombia. A serious lack of respect ”, tweeted Podemos, in an openly republican reaction and criticism of the monarchy.
Bolívar’s sword represents the sovereignty of Latin America. King Felipe VI has been the only head of state who has remained seated next to him at the inauguration of the new President of Colombia. A serious disrespect that requires apologies from our country pic.twitter.com/ham0pOT4WM
— WE CAN (@WE CAN) August 8, 2022
In passing, Podemos announced that it would consult the head of the department, José Manuel Albares, if the Executive had authorized a gesture that they considered “disrespectful” and “extremely serious.”
For his part, the Minister of Culture, Miquel Iceta, described the episode as “summer controversy” and considered “absolutely disproportionate and disproportionate” that Spain should apologize for the gesture. “These formal things are usually told to you beforehand.
I don’t know if I get up or not if a sword passes me in front of me. If they have notified me, maybe yes”, he emphasized and reiterated that it was an unimportant question: “I would not give it the importance that it is being given”.
“What happened is inexplicable and deserves an apology,” tweeted Ione Belarra, Minister of Social Rights and General Secretary of Podemos, a minority partner of the Socialists in the Pedro Sánchez government.
And his predecessor at the head of Podemos, Paul Iglesiasvice president of the government until his resignation in March 2021, wrote on the social network: “Hopefully soon Spain will be represented by a president or a president of the Republic voted by the citizens.”
Democrats must take note of the audacity of Felipe VI in Bogotá because it means many things. It was not, far from it, an improvised gesture of senile arrogance like the sadly famous “why don’t you shut up”. article in @CTXT and THREAD summary 👇🏻https://t.co/2udt72tK1Y
– Pablo Iglesias 🔻 (@PabloIglesias) August 9, 2022
In Colombia, neither the new president Gustavo Petro nor any other politician criticized the King.
ELTIEMPO.COM
#Controversy #Spain #Felipe #stand #Bolívars #sword