The former President of the Government, Jos Luis Rodr guez Zapatero, stated this Tuesday that he is in favor of the European Union reconsidering the United Kingdom's re-entry because, according to him, polls "show an anti-Brexit turn" among the British population, "increasingly in favor of closer ties with the European Union."
"In the future, if the United Kingdom requests it, always with clear conditions and a clause that prevents a Brexit from happening again, its return to the European Union should be considered," Rodr guez Zapatero reflected in an interview on Radio Lanzarote-Onda Cero.
In this sense, he highlighted that the European Union has always been characterized "by generosity, as a common home for democratic values."
Thus, the former president stated that "all countries have the right to have a historical error, including the United Kingdom," and pointed to "how badly" this country is doing since Brexit became effective two years ago.
Zapatero recalled that he himself predicted that Brexit "was impossible" due to the close ties that had been forged over the last decades, and pointed out that the situation in the long run is likely to "resist badly."
The extreme right is savagery, the negation of democracy
The former President of the Government, Jos Luis Rodr guez Zapatero (PSOE), stated when asked about the attempted coup in Brazil that the extreme right "is savagery and violence, the negation of democracy and a risk to freedom."
The former President of the Government did not skimp on praise when assessing the figure of Brazilian President Lula da Silva, stating that he is the international leader he most admires among those he has met in his political time.
In this sense, he described the Brazilian leader as "a good and simple person who has dedicated his life to the fight for democracy and the poorest" and expressed optimism with the international reaction of condemnation of these violent acts against Brazilian institutions.
Rodr guez Zapatero highlighted the fact that the entire international community, from the President of the United States, Joe Biden, to countries like Italy or Russia, have come out in defense of the legitimacy of the government emanating from the polls and recalled that "being in favor of democracy in Brazil is being in favor of democracy and peace in the world."
Throughout the interview, he went further in the description of "these extreme right-wing movements," linking them to "denialism."
"The violent acts of the assault on the Capitol in the United States, and what was experienced in Brazil last Sunday, are added to the denial of knowledge and science," said the former leader of the PSOE, who believes that "these vandals are moved by denialist theories that should be forgotten."
In response, Rodr guez Zapatero calls for strengthening multilateralism and international institutions to combat radicalism while calling "not to trivialize violence."
"Every violent gesture is a risk, a provocation to hatred, and all democrats must have a moment of reflection and serenity and strengthen the ties of those who believe in democracy," he added.
