The political atmosphere in Spain continues to heat up. Recently, one of the prominent members of the Vox party, MP Manuel Mariscal, made harsh statements toward the state media, sparking a wave of discussion about the boundaries of political struggle and freedom of speech. In his speech, he made it clear that if his party comes to power, some journalists will be dismissed immediately. The list of the ‘undesirables’ also included the popular TV host Marc Giró.
Mariscal did not stop at mere promises of personnel purges. He added that Spaniards are tired of faces like Javier Ruiz, Jesús Cintora, and Silvia Intxaurrondo, who, in his opinion, profit from lies and manipulation. The speech ended with a shocking remark, as the politician rhetorically wondered whether it was better to walk into RTVE’s office with a chainsaw or a flamethrower. Such rhetoric has caused serious concern in society.
The response came during the radio program «Julia en la Onda», where Marc Giró was a guest. Host Julia Otero reminded him of the threats in a joking manner, but Giró took the situation very seriously. He explained that he personally knows Manuel Mariscal from their university days. According to him, back then the politician was cheerful and sociable, and his current transformation leaves the TV presenter only puzzled and disappointed.
Jiró expressed genuine astonishment that such ideas could even be considered acceptable in modern society. He drew parallels with authoritarian regimes of the past, which always began with violence and ultimately led their countries to complete ruin—not only economically, but also emotionally and physically. The host reminded viewers of forty years of franquismo, which, contrary to popular myths, left Spain impoverished and only enriched a narrow group of people. He remarked ironically that he would be the first to support a dictatorship if it proved economically effective, but history has shown the opposite.
Despite the aggressive tone of the statements, Jiró emphasized that he does not feel afraid. He is confident that civil society has the resources to resist such manifestations. As an example, he cited recent pro-Palestinian protests during the Vuelta cycling race. The host concluded that he is ready to engage in dialogue and respect representatives of the far-right. However, the problem, he noted, is that his opponents seem uninterested in dialogue and instead aim to completely rewrite the rules of the game.
