The PNV voted with the PP and distanced itself from the PSOE this week to approve in Congress a proposal for the recognition of Edmundo Gonzalez as the legitimate president of Venezuela. It was something temporary, it does not mean a break with the majority of the government, but the Basque Nationalist Party warns that there could be more exceptional situations of this type.
“For the moment they will not change the support for the government, but they will a crack has openedThere is a lot of anger against the PSOE and Venezuela. This is a first warning“, indicate internal sources of the PNV.
This is why Basque nationalists are working to organize a meeting between their president, Andoni Ortuzarand the head of the Executive, Pedro SanchezFrom there, they hope to obtain a commitment to reform its Statute of Autonomy and to continue without setbacks the legislative pact signed in Madrid with the PSOE.
Europe Press
The orientation of the nationalist vote in the case of Venezuela occurred due to an ideological issue, due to the historical ties that this party maintains with this Caribbean country, since many Basques were exiled there during the Franco dictatorship. Among them, the families of some leaders of the PNV.
“It was an obligation for us, we could not look the other way in a case like this,” the aforementioned sources emphasize. In addition, the support for Edmundo González makes them Mark the distances with Bilduwho not only does not support the recognition of the Venezuelan presidential candidate, but also considers him a far-right figure.
The PNV spokesman in Congress, Aitor Estebanactively and passively tried to point out that the vote with the PP was a mere coincidence. Before announcing his position, he did not spare his criticism of the statements of the PP leaders who spoke vehemently in favor of recognizing Edmundo González, blaming the government for not doing the same.
“There was no no negotiation between the Basque Group and the PP for the proposal of a non-law on Venezuela. The relationship with the PSOE remains the same, the PNV works responsibly and with a spirit of complete the investiture agreement“, PNV sources in Congress told this newspaper.
Aitor Esteban said in an interview on Antena 3 that “as long as they respect what has been agreed, we will be there”, referring to his relationship with the PSOE. But it is precisely here that the doubts of a part of the party arise, expressed not so much in Madrid as in Euskadi.
Statutory reform
Their governing bodies believe that the agreement with the socialists of the Congress should have a series of counterparts that “are not being realized.” lehendakari, Imanol Pradalespublicly announced this week that “the time has come” to begin reforming the Guernica Statute. “It is time to be courageous,” he said.
The modification of the Basque Statute of Autonomy is not a novelty. He raised it Juan Jose Ibarretxewith his famous plan, and he also tried it without success Inigo Urkullu During the 12 years he was at the helm of the Lehendakaritza.
In this new stage, what the newcomer Imanol Pradales is now looking for is an evolution of the current Statute, which has not been modified since 1979, to increase self-government quotasIt does not detail the issues, although it would involve more transfers of skills, which could include the economic regime of social security.
El PNV entiende que su pacto de legislatura con el PSOE debería implicar que estos asuntos se plasmen antes de finales de 2025. “Firmamos un pacto por dos años y de momento se ha cumplido muy poco, por eso existe ese cabreo”, subrayan fuentes del partido.
El PNV es consciente, como el resto de socios, de que los apoyos del Gobierno son extremadamente frágiles. Y mientras los independentistas catalanes siguen obteniendo concesiones, ellos tampoco están dispuestos a entregar sus votos gratis.
De ahí que esa reivindicación histórica de una reforma estatutaria se pueda convertir ahora en una exigencia. Y que Venezuela sea sólo “un primer aviso”.
Una primera aproximación se podría producir en la reunión que mantendrá próximamente el presidente del Gobierno, Pedro Sánchez, con el lehendakari.
Sánchez había anunciado una serie de reuniones bilaterales con presidentes autonómicos para hablar de la reforma de la Ley Orgánica de Financiación de las Comunidades Autónomas (LOFCA) tras el pacto entre el PSC y ERC que contempla una suerte de ‘concierto catalán’.
En Moncloa han activado ya el calendario y Pradales será el primero en ser recibido por Sánchez al haber sido Euskadi la primera comunidad en aprobar su Estatuto de Autonomía.
Reuniones discretas
Esto “no cambia en nada” los planes de los nacionalistas vascos, según fuentes internas. El lehendakari delega estas negociaciones para ampliar sus competencias en la dirección del partido.
Pradales afirma que habrá reuniones con otros grupos de forma “discreta” y lo que deslizan fuentes del partido es que el citado encuentro entre Ortuzar y Sánchez debería celebrarse “en un plazo aproximado de unos dos meses“.
“Planteamos reuniones también con la consejera de Autogobierno [Maria Ubarretxena] before the end of the year. And when these conversations happen and we see the progress that is happening, we will decide the strategy that we will continue,” the aforementioned sources abound.
PNV spokesman in Congress, Aitor Esteban, alongside Venezuelan opponents Antonio Ledezma (left) and Leopoldo López (right).
Europe Press
At present, some exploratory contacts have already taken place. After the vote in Congress, the Minister of the Presidency, Felix Bolanosheld an informal meeting in Madrid with Ortuzar and Esteban, according to what was published The confidential.
The PP, waiting
The PP, for its part, is trying to explore this path. The spokesperson for the popular party, Borja Alwaysrecognizes that his group will promote measures in “economic, social or labor” matters for which it will knock not only on the door of the PNV but also on that of Junts. Its red line, he indicates, concerns “nationalist or identity” issues.
To really put the government in difficulty, the PP would have to add the votes of the Basque or Catalan nationalists. to those of Voxwhich maintains a hypothetical motion of censure as a still distant option. However, from the PNV they send a first signal.
Bluff to get more from the PSOE in a negotiation or real threat, the Basque nationalists could continue dig into the wound which opened this week for the PSOE with a new setback in Congress.
