Update (1323 EST): Alejo Vidal-Quadras Roca has told police he believes his would be assassins were linked to Iranian opposition forces. The motorcycle the shooter fled on has been found, destroyed in a fire.
Update (0948 EST):
Quiero trasladar mi solidaridad y deseos de pronta recuperación a Alejo Vidal-Quadras.
Todo mi afecto en estos momentos para él y para su familia.
Confiamos en que la investigación pueda esclarecer cuanto antes los hechos y se detenga a los responsables.
— Pedro Sánchez (@sanchezcastejon) November 9, 2023
According to local media, the former Catalonia, Spain People’s Party Leader Alejo Vidal-Quadras Roca has been shot in the head in Madrid. According to police, Vidal-Quadras was shot point-blank range in the face by a young man whom fled on a motorcycle. He has been transferred to a local hospital and is reported to be conscious.
#Agresión con arma de fuego en c/Núñez de Balboa, 40. #Salamanca.@SAMUR_PC estabiliza a un hombre de 78 años con una herida por arma de fuego y lo traslada a un hospital de #Madrid.@policia investiga. Colabora @policiademadrid. pic.twitter.com/OZHJH866no
— Emergencias Madrid (@EmergenciasMad) November 9, 2023
One hour before the shooting, the former leader of the PP had posted a tweet criticizing the agreement between the PSOE and Junts. He said:
”The infamous pact between Sánchez and Puigdemont has already been agreed upon, which crushes the rule of law in Spain and ends the separation of powers. Our Nation will thus cease to be a liberal democracy and become a totalitarian tyranny. We Spaniards will not allow it . ”
He was referring to an amnesty agreement reportedly reached between Spain’s caretaker government, led by Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s Socialists (PSOE). The angreement aims to secure support of Catalonia’s separatist parties through an amnesty law and more concessions after the failed 2017 independence bid for the autonomous region.
The largest opposition party, the conservative People’s Party (PP) and the right-wing populist Vox oppose the concessions and have taken to the streets over the last 24 hours to violently protest any agreement.
Sanchez has already reached an agreement with the Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC). However, approval from the Junts party, led by exiled Catalan separatist leader Carles Puigdemont, was the last part of the agreement needed. According to Vidal-Quadras, that agreement has been reached.
