Press Conference by the President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, following his audience with Pope Leo XIV

SPEECH BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE GOVERNMENT OF SPAIN, PEDRO SÁNCHEZ

Good morning and first of all, apologies for the delay in this appearance.

And as I always do, I would like to begin by thanking our diplomatic services for their work in preparing this trip.

Before commenting on the meeting I just had with His Holiness the Pope, I would like to highlight two very important aspects of this trip.

Firstly, the Italian-Spanish Business Forum that we held yesterday with top-level companies interested in forging new strategic alliances between the two countries. I believe this is a good example of the path that Europe must take in the current geopolitical context of industrial cooperation and the capacity to generate shared solutions to the challenges we face in Europe.

And secondly, Spain's participation in the FAO Nutrition Week, organised by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations, a benchmark for multilateralism and, therefore, for global awareness against hunger.

Hunger is unfortunately rarely talked about in the public discourse, but it is a grim reality that affects millions of people and I thought it was important to have the opportunity to share some reflections on it.

There, I noted, by the way, the alarming food crisis that the illegal war in the Middle East is causing. Up to 45 million people could suffer acute hunger if we do nothing, if the situation continues as it is, and that is why Spain did not stand idly by at the start of this war, which we consider illegal. And it will not stand idly by in the face of the destruction and hunger it generates.

We talk a lot about the economic crisis. We are undoubtedly talking about the energy crisis that affects the pockets of our fellow citizens, but I believe we must do everything possible to prevent it from degenerating into a terrible humanitarian crisis, because it is always the most vulnerable who end up paying the price for this type of crisis and its consequences and implications, including hunger.

I have had the opportunity and the honour to speak with His Holiness Pope Leo XIV about this and many other matters. Today, well, I believe his voice is a moral compass in the fight against injustice and for always being, of course, on the side of the weakest. And for his message of solidarity and against selfishness and for promoting something that may seem revolutionary these days, but which is common sense and empathy in the face of irrationality and the law of the jungle.

I believe it has been a very valuable meeting, with a certain degree of harmony, and from which I would like to highlight five elements to share with the media present here and also with the citizens following this press conference.

First, the shared defence of peace. Peace through dialogue. Peace through diplomacy. Peace through the words that form international law. That is our real bulwark against wars, not the arms race. I believe that peace is not built with missiles. We have said this on many occasions from the Government of Spain. It is built through dialogue, with respect for international law.

I therefore thank the Pope from the bottom of my heart for his courage, his inspiration and his commitment to this path that is so necessary, so essential at this time in the world.

Along with the shared defence of peace, I would like to talk about the fight against poverty, against malnutrition and the defence of global health, which were some of the elements that we were also able to discuss.

Today, the world spends more, as the media knows, on weapons and less on fighting hunger or diseases linked, for example, to the Ebola outbreak right now on the African continent.

And Spain alone, as I have said on many other occasions, cannot fill the vacuum left by others. But from Spain we maintain and redouble our commitment so that sooner rather than later, this solidarity will once again prevail over selfishness.

That is why, as you know, in the face of massive cuts that represent 25% of official development aid in global terms, Spain increased its official development aid last year by no less than 13%.

Absolutely insufficient, but it does mark a path that should be followed by all nations in order to solve the problems we have in the world. That is why Spain does not retreat in fear, nor in the lack of solidarity that guides others, but rather acts with responsibility, as we recently demonstrated, by the way, in addressing global health during the hantavirus crisis.

I believe that this vision must also take root in the third major issue that I had the opportunity to discuss with the Pope, which is the essential link between ethics and artificial intelligence. In other words, a humanist perspective on the technological development that all of humanity is currently witnessing.

The Pope is right. No technology is neutral, and therefore artificial intelligence is not neutral either. But who uses it and for what purpose is anything but neutral, and we are seeing this first-hand.

And in this regard, I congratulated His Holiness for focusing his first encyclical on this theme: human dignity in the age of artificial intelligence, which, incidentally, will define the present and the immediate future of all humanity.

We agreed that we need artificial intelligence that prioritises this humanistic perspective, aligned with the principles and values that represent humanity, and that, indeed, only multilateralism and international governance can provide us with these common rules, not only from a regulatory standpoint, but also in terms of ethical and democratic responsibility, to expand that magnificent humanity of which the Pope speaks in his encyclical.

This is the path that we, too, humbly advocate from Spain, always with the protection of minors at the forefront. As you know, especially in the Spanish media, we are being very insistent on this issue, not only regarding the processing of important reforms in the General Courts, but also at the European level, as part of a coalition of digital volunteers that already includes more than 15 of the 27 member states of the European Union.

Fourthly, we also had the opportunity to talk about migration, which is an issue on which the Catholic Church and the Government of Spain are once again, I believe, very much in tune with each other. His Holiness took an interest in Spain's vision and policies in this regard.

Our position is well known. Orderly migration, and I stress orderly migration, opens up opportunities for the countries of origin, but also for the host countries. It creates shared prosperity and also helps us understand that human dignity, for every person, is paramount.

Also, those who pervert this debate with lies, hoaxes, disinformation, and, of course, with the fallacy of so-called national priorities, which we in the Government of Spain have fought so hard to combat and give true meaning to: shared prosperity, which is what the entire Spanish society wants, at least the vast majority of it.

As you know, the Pope is particularly sensitive to this issue of migration, and it will be very much on the agenda of his apostolic journey to Spain, and especially during his visit to the Canary Islands.

Finally, I had the opportunity to discuss with the Secretary of State of the Holy See, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, an assessment-which I believe the Government of Spain makes positively, well, I would say very positively-of the bilateral agreements reached and signed between the Government of Spain and the Vatican in the last five years, or the last few years.

Particularly the most recent ones, which also have a high social and emotional impact in our country, including the innovative mixed system for reparations for victims of sexual abuse and the reinterpretation of the Valley of Cuelgamuros, which, as you know, is one of the central elements of the Law of Democratic Memory approved by the General Courts. I believe these are a very good example of the harmony, the spirit of dialogue, and the willingness to reach agreements that we have with the Catholic Church.

In conclusion, I think the most important thing I would like to convey is that I wanted to share with His Holiness that it will be an immense honour for Spain to receive him in a few days.

Pope Leo XIV, I believe, is-and is demonstrating this with his statements, with his positions so clear and understandable to the public, regardless of their background-I believe he is an inspiration in a world more in need than ever of such inspiration and such clear and firm positions that are understood by citizens in the face of such evident challenges as technological development and artificial intelligence.

His words, I believe, impel us to defend something that we in the Government of Spain also share: human dignity, protecting the most vulnerable, working for the hope of a world that abandons the path of war and returns to peace-in short, a better world.

And without further ado, I look forward to answering questions from the media.

Q.- (José Miguel Blanco, Agencia EFE) Thank you. Good morning, Mr President. You mentioned the rapport you had with the Pope. Does the Government hope that his upcoming trip will serve as support for the Government's policies, for example, on migration?

And on other issues, in relation to former President Zapatero, you expressed your support for him last Wednesday. After everything that has come to light, including the UDEF reports, do you maintain that support or reconsider it?

And I don't know if you've had the opportunity to learn about the UCO's actions this morning at the PSOE headquarters. If you are concerned and worried about the position of your investiture partners regarding this and other issues, calling for elections? Thank you.

President.- Well, thank you very much, Josemi, for your questions.

Regarding the alignments, the lack thereof, and whether what we expect is support or not, with all due respect and humility, of course not. I believe that the figure of the Pope, of His Holiness, and what he represents for the Catholic community transcends the political debate in the Government of Spain on this policy or any other decision taken by the Executive, or endorsed by the General Courts.

I think this is very important. We in the Government of Spain are not thinking about that at all. We do celebrate, and His Holiness has conveyed this, that we can finally have his presence, which has been long awaited. Of course, also with Pope Francis, the former pope, and we will finally be able to enjoy his presence.

Furthermore, he has a very comprehensive programme where he will not only be in Madrid, addressing the National Parliament, the Lower House of Parliament, but will also be in Barcelona, completing the great work of the Sagrada Familia, and even, as mentioned before, in the Canary Islands, on the island of Tenerife, specifically to speak about migration and observe the migration situation.

I would also like to mention a visit to a prison in Catalonia to talk to inmates, which I believe also demonstrates the social commitment that Pope Leo XIV, in particular, has always had to all issues and to the entire social dimension of the Catholic religion.

Therefore, the fact that there is agreement on some issues, such as migration, the defence of peace against illegal wars and violations of international law, or the alignment in the great debate surrounding this humanist approach to the technological revolution, I believe demonstrates that, despite criticism from within Spain, what exists in many cases is a purely common-sense agenda in the policies defended by the Government of Spain.

Because I believe that it is pure common sense to opt for peace and not for illegal war, because it is pure common sense to recognise the rights of those who are contributing to the development and prosperity of our societies. What is not common sense is speaking of national priorities or replacement theories that are not supported by science, data, or, of course, the historical experience of a country that, during its years of democracy, has regularised the status of many, many migrants who have come to our society and who now live here, on five separate occasions.

Even when they use misleading data, hoaxes, or disinformation, such as the perennial appeal or the supposed "pull factor" that normalisation, regularisation, and recognition of migrants' rights might have.

In fact, the data supports the exact opposite. We are seeing a 60% drop in irregular migration flows so far this year compared to last year, and we are in the process of recognising these migration rights.

Therefore, I believe that, returning to your question about alignment or lack thereof, there are indeed issues where there is complete agreement. But what this supports is the common sense of the positions defended, in this case, by the Catholic Church and also by the Government of Spain on such important matters as those you have mentioned.

With regard to President Zapatero, I have had the opportunity to read the court order, and I have also had the opportunity to learn about and read the extensive summary of the case through the media. And I sincerely stated this in the General Courts, and I reaffirm it here today. Absolutely, I offer my full cooperation with the Justice system, my complete respect for President Zapatero's presumption of innocence, and my full support to him. After what I have read and what I have been able to discuss with people who know much more about the law than I do, I believe there is no sufficient reason, no grounds, to change that position.

And as for the requests that are being made right now at the headquarters of the PSOE, that is also why I have been delayed, because I was unaware of them. I had to ask exactly what was going on. And I think this is important as a nuance, because the opposite used to be the case: we had a political organisation that used the State law enforcement forces and agencies and the judiciary to obstruct judicial investigations.

In this case, apparently, we are talking about a formal request. We're not talking about a search. Nor do I want to downplay the seriousness of the investigation that the Audiencia Nacional is currently conducting and, therefore, what I can say to the Spanish citizens is: full cooperation with the justice system.

I would also like to say that, if we are finally talking about the case of the ex-militant Leire, then, obviously, decisions were taken about her immediately when this whole case came to light, more than a year ago. And, therefore, the wheels of justice turn slowly. Let's respect the Justice system, cooperate with the Justice system, and, of course, the PSOE is committed to acting with the same forcefulness as we have before if there are any new irregularities.

But I also want to emphasise the following: we have been in very similar situations at other times, and I think it is also very important that the public is aware that the Government of Spain is immersed in a transformation agenda that is yielding results in all areas: economic growth, job creation, reduction of inequalities, and positioning on issues that are very important for Spain and for Spaniards, such as the wars we are experiencing and the responses we are giving to the economic effects of the wars that the world has been suffering for more than five years now.

And, therefore, I believe that none of these investigations, and we will see how they turn out, and I insist that my organisation cooperates fully with the justice system, in no way undermine what the Government of Spain and the progressive forces are doing to promote social and economic progress and the transformations we have been witnessing for the past eight years.

And that is what we will continue to do from now until the end of the legislature, without, of course, diminishing the seriousness of these investigations, with the firm commitment on my part as president, but also as secretary general of the PSOE, that we will respond with the same forcefulness that we have always shown should new information come to light.

Q. [Carlota Núñez, Cuatro] Excuse me, Mr. President, regarding your meeting with the Pope, I wanted to ask you, I don't know if he expressed any concern… You were talking about national priority, this requirement of national priority, this requirement that is being included in the formation of regional governments.

I don't know if the Pope expressed any concern to you about the growth and rise of racist rhetoric in Spain and its political exploitation by some parties.

And regarding the information requests being made to the PSOE, the judge seems to implicate or point the finger at the current PSOE manager, as well as a member of the current executive committee, Juanfran Serrano, and his former chief of staff, Juan Manuel Serrano. In this case, the PSOE allegedly paid Leire or her associates to try to cover up cases affecting the party. I don't know if you have had a chance to talk to them. Have you been given any kind of explanation?

And, on this matter, do you also share the criticism of the Minister for Transport, who is essentially saying there's a kind of coordinated campaign against the PSOE and the government, and is complaining about the disproportionate nature of sending the UCO to the PSOE headquarters to gather information? Thank you.

President: On the first question, these are private conversations between the pope and myself, and therefore I don't think it is my place, nor do I think it is in my style, to share, beyond the things I have done with you before, these conversations with the pope.

I will say that, on this specific matter, we haven't spoken about this issue of national priority, as you've framed it. But I also won't hide from you-and this is public knowledge, and you know it, and indeed it's not just me saying it, but because the Pope himself has said it-that he has a very different view of the phenomenon of migration from this kind of discourse with which we are much more aligned.

Regarding the requests, look, you've just informed me of something I was unaware of concerning the manager, a member of the executive committee who served as my coordinator before I was elected President of the Government of Spain, and yes, as Secretary General of the Socialist Party. I wasn't aware of that.

In any case, I insist, the manager, Ana María Fuentes, is a woman who has meticulously managed the Socialist Party accounts. There has been a lot of speculation, a lot of rumours, a lot of fake news, about alleged irregular financing… it seems that this has been denied even by the media themselves.

Well, I insist, I don't downplay the importance or seriousness of the investigation that is being carried out. But, I also want to make it equally clear that, the moment new information emerges regarding matters involving irregular activities or conduct, the Socialist Party will act decisively, as we always have.

But, again, we did it as soon as this case arose more than a year ago. If so, we will continue to do so, but so far we do not have much more information, and the information we are getting is from the media.

And I reiterate this once again: this in no way undermines all the achievements this country is making in very complex and difficult times like these, which the world is experiencing, and therefore, we will continue in this task.

Q.- [Javier Martínez-Brocal, ABC and La Sexta] Thank you very much for answering the questions.

Of course, the question is, you said that you will make decisions when there are elements that make it necessary. What needs to happen for a decision to be made? Because the impression is that, with slightly less serious cases, much stronger decisions have been taken. What has to happen for a decision to be made?

Another question, which is unrelated, is about the meeting with the Pope. How long did it last, and could you give us some details about it?

President.- Thank you very much, Javier, for your questions.

You know, I'm not sure how long it lasted, but the ambassador tells me, quite rightly, that it was about three-quarters of an hour.

And it really was a very interesting conversation in all the aspects I mentioned earlier: migration, artificial intelligence, peace, war, and, of course, also his visit to Spain in the coming days.

Regarding these elements, look, I think it's very important to be aware, first, that the pace of justice is not the pace of the media or of politics.

The pace of the media, obviously, that's their obligation, their duty, that's what they do, and they do it very well: to report on any new developments in these cases that are the subject of judicial investigation.

Second: the pace of politics must be adjusted to the pace of justice. I think it is important to respect the presumption of innocence; of course, look at what is happening in these cases, and act accordingly.

I believe that we, precisely, when we have acted, if we have demonstrated anything, it's that we are a party that has nothing to hide, and that when it has to act, it acts, and, of course, we do not condone or tolerate the kind of attitudes that we, indeed, repudiate.

From there, politics must align itself more with the pace of justice, knowing precisely what the details of the investigation are, and, from there, we will act if appropriate.

But, once again, as President of the Government of Spain, I believe that all of this shouldn't make us lose sight of what's important, and what's important is that Spain is currently in an optimal position from an economic and social point of view, in terms of progress ...

I know that there are people who legitimately want Spain to stop progressing, who want to hold Spain back or even make it go backwards. But that's not the intention of the Government, and certainly not mine either.

Q.- [Almudena Guerrero, TVE] Thank you, President.

Continuing with today's news, the UCO entering Ferraz, the searches that are taking place, this comes in the midst of the investigation into Zapatero… Do you still think the situation is sustainable, that you can last until the end of the legislature? Because, returning to the question from other colleagues, the PNV, the Canarian Coalition, Emiliano García-Page, and other voices within your party privately believe that it isn't.

On the other hand, do you consider the timing of these news reports, as some members of your party are saying, to be a blow to your government?

And finally, regarding Zapatero, is there nothing that strikes you as odd, that raises doubts about what you've read, about the summary or the court order? Thank you.

Thank you very much, Almudena, for your questions. Well, it's more or less the same question from a different angle, or more or less the same angle. If you agree, we'll conclude the press conference with this.

I think it is important, Almudena, if I may simply correct you on one point. It's not a search, it's a formal request, apparently, that the Civil Guard is carrying out at my party's headquarters.

I think this is also important for citizens to know, because the Civil Guard makes many requests to many institutions, and that's not an obstacle to anything.

Therefore, what I can tell you from the point of view of the Socialist Party is the total and absolute cooperation that we have always had on this case, which, by the way, was already dealt with last year. We made the decisions we made, and therefore we will know exactly what they are and how they unfold. Therefore, it is a request, not a search.

On the sustainability or otherwise of the legislature, I had a very interesting conversation yesterday with the Director-General of the FAO. For those citizens who are not familiar with this acronym and who are following this press conference, it is basically the organisation that is in charge of food and the fight against hunger at the level of the United Nations.

One thing I found interesting, you know that we are defending the candidacy of Luis Planas, the current Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, for the FAO Directorate-General, which will be decided next year. I mention this; it was a private conversation, but I'm using it as an example of a category I will elaborate on later. The Director-General told me that Luis Planas has been Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food for eight years, and during the time the Director-General of the FAO has held that position, they have seen many governments change their Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food year after year.

The question I think we need to ask ourselves is: since I became President of the Government of Spain, how many prime ministers have there been in many European countries? Is that good for making changes? Is that good for making the changes that are demanded, especially by ordinary people?

I don't think so. I'm not saying that the stability we've achieved over these last eight years with me at the head of the government, in very difficult circumstances, with crises of extraordinary complexity, is an end in itself, but it's clearly an important instrument for achieving the economic performance we're seeing, for having the unemployment and job creation figures we're seeing, and for achieving the reduction in social inequality that we're also achieving over these last eight years.

What I mean by this is that the changes we've achieved are so important, and clearly, without stability, they wouldn't have happened because there wouldn't have been coherence or agreement between a government logically led by me and a government supported by other forces that openly, wherever they can reach agreements, say that renewable energy must be stopped or that some of the policies on rights and freedoms that this government has achieved must be called into question.

Therefore, I believe it is important for citizens to be aware that, despite everything, all the difficulties we have faced and are facing, stability is a crucial lever for achieving everything we are achieving in economic terms and in terms of job creation in such a complex international context.

Please excuse the joke. There are some colleagues who are clearly asking me to call early elections because they know I'll have a larger parliamentary majority in the Government and in the Lower House of Parliament, allowing me to govern much more smoothly.

And I appreciate it, but I simply cannot call elections for partisan interests. I have to call elections for the general interest of citizens, and the general interest of citizens today, with wars all over the world, with crises that demand effective and also equitable responses from the General State Administration, is the stability and consolidation of policies that are allowing us precisely to escape the social and economic consequences of these crises.

No one can imagine that if there had been a People's Party administration with Vox, that today 60% of the price of electricity generated would come from renewable energy sources. And that's giving households today a greater capacity to cope with energy shocks caused by wars, whether in Iran or Ukraine.

I'm using this example simply to highlight the importance of this category. And the fact is that economic growth, the success of the country we are experiencing, is closely linked with a key lever, which is stability. And if the Constitution states that a legislature lasts four years, then it's four years.

And that is the objective and the determination of the Government of Spain: to complete very important tasks, which, as we've discussed with you on numerous occasions, I also want to convey to the public: to complete projects that are very important and, at least for me, very relevant, because the European funds run out in December 2026.

Therefore, there are issues, there are milestones that demand perseverance and not paralysing the country, which ultimately leaves us uncertain about whether we can successfully complete this management of European funds that is bringing us economic growth and transformation.

I mention paralysis because, as you all know, after elections come the investiture processes. And of course, there are potentially chaotic investiture processes, for example, in territories or countries with a democratic culture, such as Denmark, where a government hasn't been formed for several months. And in Spain, we also have some quite clear examples, which I can share with you all from my own experience. I believe that this stability, once again, is a valuable asset at a time when citizens need certainty, and that's what we want to provide from the Government of Spain.

I apologise for the length of the questions. Regarding the Justice system, as I've said many times, we offer full cooperation with the Justice system while also respecting the presumption of innocence of those involved.

And regarding José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, regarding President Zapatero, as I said at the beginning, I don't see any grounds for a change in position on the part of the PSOE or the Government of Spain with regard to what is known in the court order and also in the indictment.

Well, thank you all very much. And again, Ambassador, thank you very much for your hospitality and your excellent work. Also to our ambassador here in Rome, Miguel. Thank you both very much.