The Faes foundation, associated with former Prime Minister José María Aznar, has issued harsh criticism of the meeting of left-wing leaders held in Barcelona. In a statement published on Tuesday, the organization accused Pedro Sánchez of providing a platform for supporters of ‘narco-dictatorships.’ The text uses terminology characteristic of Argentine President Javier Milei, and the meeting itself is called a ‘performance zurda.’
Accusations and rhetoric
The focus was on the meeting held in Catalonia, attended by such figures as Brazilian President Lula da Silva and Colombian leader Gustavo Petro. Faes claims that Sánchez organized the event to support politicians linked to authoritarian regimes. In the foundation’s statement, the meeting is called a ‘show,’ and Sánchez himself is referred to as ‘el señorito,’ allegedly sheltering ‘allies of narco-dictatorships.’
The text pays particular attention to the absence of Nicolás Maduro at the summit, who was detained in the US in January. Faes sarcastically notes that Sánchez could not even invite him via video call, calling it a ‘missed opportunity.’ However, the foundation does not mention that the Spanish government does not support the former Venezuelan president: in 2019, Sánchez recognized Juan Guaidó as interim leader of the country, and in 2024 granted asylum to Edmundo González and citizenship to Leopoldo López, previously imprisoned in Venezuela.
Context and reaction
Faes also accuses Sánchez of conflating party and state interests, contrasting this with the widespread support for opposition politician María Corina Machado, who recently presented Donald Trump with her Nobel Peace Prize in gratitude for his ‘advancement of peace through strength.’ The foundation notes that freedoms in Venezuela were ‘suppressed with the participation of those invited by Sánchez.’
In its statement, Faes criticizes Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares, referring to him as ‘el mayordomo.’ The foundation mocks him for reproaching Machado over her meetings with leaders of the Partido Popular, Vox, and the head of Madrid, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, but not with Sánchez himself.
International background
The situation surrounding the Barcelona meeting and Faes’s reaction fit into a broader context of international conflicts, where rhetoric and symbolic gestures become tools of political struggle. Such clashes of viewpoints have often been the subject of discussion, as was the case, for example, during the diplomatic disagreements between the Pope and Donald Trump — details of this conflict were previously analyzed on russpain.com.
