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Ex-Fox News presenter Tucker Carlson joins Spain’s anti-amnesty protests

As a sign of the current political chaos in Spain, American right-wing TV personality and conspiracy theorist Tucker Carlson appeared in Madrid alongside far-right Vox leader Santiago Abascal at the capital's latest anti-amnesty protests.

Published: 14 November 2023 10:24 CET
Ex-Fox News presenter Tucker Carlson joins Spain's anti-amnesty protests
"I love Spain and they are trying to steal your country," Tucker Carlson has said of Sánchez's controversial amnesty deal. (Photo by GIORGIO VIERA / AFP)

Controversial former Fox News presenter Tucker Carlson made a surprise appearance in Madrid on Monday night as he joined far-right Vox leader Santiago Abascal at a protest against caretaker Socialist (PSOE) Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s amnesty deal with Catalan separatists.

In what was the 11th consecutive day of protests against the PSOE deal with Junts per Catalunya, which includes a legal amnesty for those involved in the failed 2017 independence bid, Abascal attended the demonstration outside the PSOE headquarters on Ferraz Street in Madrid, along with Carlson.

IN IMAGES: Thousands of Spaniards rally against amnesty for Catalan rebels

Known for his right-wing conspiratorial style, most notably Covid-19 scepticism and his role in promoting the 2020 electoral fraud conspiracy, Carlson at one time had the highest-rated TV show on American television.

Time magazine said in 2021 that he “may be the most powerful conservative in America.” A long-time supporter of Donald Trump, he was fired from Fox in April of this year.

Since leaving Fox Carslon has begun working independently and interviewed international political leaders. In September he travelled to Buenos Aires to meet Javier Milei, a Presidential candidate in Argentina characterised by some as extreme right. According to Vox sources speaking to El Confidencial, he will interview Abascal this Tuesday.

Carlson posted a picture of him standing next to Abascal at the protest.

In Madrid, Carlson admitted his unfamiliarity with Spanish politics yet still felt confident enough to give his opinion on the amnesty: “I love Spain and they are trying to steal your country. That’s not how a democracy should work,” he said.

“You can’t give an amnesty just for people to vote for you. You have to have the rule of law. It’s very difficult to understand what’s going on in Spain if you’re not here. Your policy is complicated for an American. I want to understand it and try to explain it. If you are not Spanish, there are parts of Spain that are complicated for a foreigner.”

READ ALSO: Spain’s amnesty dilemma – the ‘end of democracy’ or logical next step?

Despite something of a language barrier, politically speaking Carlson and Abascal’s Vox speak much of the same language.

Carlson, like Vox, has expressed anti-immigrant and anti-Islam sentiment, stoked fear about demographic replacement, promoted conspiracy theories, and is seen as an ‘anti-woke’ voice who successfully injects far-right or extremist rhetoric into mainstream political discourse.

Carlson has maintained a huge following despite being fired by Fox, boasting 10.6 million followers on Twitter/X, and his appearance at the protest and sudden interest Spanish politics will likely increase awareness of the amnesty deal and Spain in right-wing social media spheres around the world.

Carlson told press at the protest that the anti-amnesty demonstrations are “not getting the coverage it deserves… we thought it deserved more coverage than it’s getting.”

Over the last 11 days, thousands of Spaniards have taken to the streets in order to protest against the PSOE-Junts amnesty deal. The Spanish right has described Sánchez as a traitor and that the amnesty deal represents a step on the road to dictatorship.

The investiture vote for Sánchez’s re-election will begin with the debate on Wednesday 14th. The vote is scheduled for Thursday 15th in the Spanish Congress.

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POLITICS

Spain-Argentina spat rages on after Milei calls Sánchez’s wife ‘corrupt’

Spain on Sunday said it was recalling its ambassador from Buenos Aires after Argentine President Javier Milei, speaking at a far-right gathering in Madrid, called Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's wife "corrupt".

Published: 20 May 2024 08:52 CEST
Spain-Argentina spat rages on after Milei calls Sánchez's wife 'corrupt'

The European Union also stepped into the row, its foreign policy chief Josep Borrell condemning Milei’s remarks.

The anti-establishment Argentine was the star speaker at a meeting of global far-right leaders organised by Spain’s Vox party called Viva 24, which also featured Italy’s Giorgia Meloni and France’s Marine Le Pen.

During his speech, Milei referred to Sánchez’s wife, Begoña Gómez, as a “corrupt woman”.

He did not identify Sánchez or his wife by name, but he did allude to a cooling-off period that Spain’s Socialist premier took last month to decide whether to resign after a court opened a preliminary probe into his wife for suspected influence peddling and corruption.

Sánchez has dismissed the allegations against Gómez as part of a campaign of political harassment by the right.

“The global elites don’t realise how destructive it can be to implement the ideas of socialism… even if you have a corrupt wife, let’s say, it gets dirty, and you take five days to think about it,” Milei said.

Just hours later, Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares announced that Madrid would recall for consultations its ambassador to Argentina, and demanded a public apology from Milei.

“It is unacceptable that a sitting president visiting Spain should insult Spain and the Spanish prime minister, a fact that breaks with all diplomatic customs,” Albares said in a televised address.

The recall of an ambassador for consultations is one of the strongest measures in diplomacy and the final step before the severing of diplomatic relations.

‘Satanic’ socialism

Milei responded to Spain’s move by reposting a video of his speech on social media, along with the comment “here are my words at Viva 24 that make you so uncomfortable”.

Milei, who began his visit to Spain on Friday, was not scheduled to meet Sánchez or King Felipe VI during his stay, as would be customary during a visit by a foreign leader.

During a speech on his first day in Spain, Milei denounced what he called “satanic” socialism.

“Let us not let the dark, black, satanic, atrocious, horrible carcinogenic side that is socialism prevail over us,” he said, in a talk about his books on libertarian ideas.

He picked up the theme again on Sunday during his address to the rally at Madrid’s Vistalegre congress centre, which was attended by some 11,000 people according to Vox.

“I will lead by example and show the world that a government with our ideas can succeed. It is up to me to show them how sinister and nefarious socialism is,” he said.

The event came ahead of elections to the European Parliament from June 6-9.

Surveys suggest those will result in major gains for Europe’s far right, giving it more influence in Brussels.

‘Benefit a few’

Milei, a self-declared “anarcho-capitalist” won elections last November vowing to reduce the Argentine deficit to zero.

To that end, he has instituted an austerity programme that has seen the government slash subsidies for transport, fuel and energy.

Le Pen, France’s far-right standard-bearer and former presidential candidate, stressed the need for tighter limits on immigration in her speech, a central theme of European far-right parties.

“Entire areas of my country, France, are being submerged by immigration,” she said.

In video messages, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban urged “patriots” to “occupy Brussels”, while Meloni, Italy’s premier, called for a “mobilisation” to bring about “change in Europe”.

In a message posted on X, Sánchez said the “international far-right” was meeting in Madrid “because Spain represents what they hate: feminism, social justice, labour dignity”.

Hundreds of people, many holding up signs that read “no fascism!” protested in Madrid’s central Plaza de Colón against the gathering.

Among them was 27-year-old Argentinian Marisel Cherasco who criticised Milei’s policies because they “benefit a few at the expense of the well-being of the majority”.

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