Lies, threats, and defamation against media professionals cannot be tolerated in our democracy.
Unfortunately, as expected, the Canarian senators of the Popular Party joined forces with their group and voted against the motion presented by the PSOE in the Upper House. In it, we urged the condemnation of attacks and threats to the press perpetrated from the Community of Madrid, through Miguel Ángel Rodríguez with the protection of Díaz Ayuso, and in support of freedom of the press. This is how it has been, although many democrats are still in disbelief.
Also, as expected, the representative of the Canarian Coalition in the Senate, autonomous senator Pedro Sanginés, distanced himself from the socialist motion and preferred to abstain. That is, he chose not to condemn the aggressions and intimidations against the press carried out by Ayuso's chief of staff. This was expected because he knows a lot about denouncing the press and officials who did not dance to his tune from his time as president of the Cabildo de Lanzarote.
We must be realistic. The Popular Party is not going to cease its strategy of harassment and demolition of Pedro Sánchez's government and, to this end, will continue to resort to any means at its disposal, such as trying to gag the press. They do not care that Article 20 of our Constitution recognizes and protects the right to freely communicate and receive truthful information by any means of dissemination.
They do not care that the press and the professionals who practice journalism have and have had a primary role in the consolidation of democracy in our country. Likewise, they do not care that the right to receive truthful and contrasted information from citizens is an asset that we must protect.
They do not care, because for the Popular Party any means is valid to achieve its goal of weakening the Government of Spain. In recent times, we are witnessing certain behaviors unbecoming of a democratic society that, unfortunately, are becoming the norm.
This is the case of threats and coercion against journalists, hoaxes and false information to undermine the credibility of the media and their professionals, all with the complicity of other "media", "journalists" and media actors, who have become necessary collaborators for the dissemination of this type of false news that directly attacks freedom of the press.
Faced with this, we must stand firm in defense of the right to information and freedom of the press because they are essential for the effective functioning of our democracy by guaranteeing transparency, accountability and informed citizen participation. Lies, threats, and defamation against media professionals cannot be tolerated in our democracy.
My commitment and that of my party is to continue guaranteeing the defense of freedom of the press and the free exercise of journalism as basic and non-renounceable principles of the rule of law as a guarantee of effective control over public management and as an expression of democratic coexistence.
Senator of the PSOE for Lanzarote and La Graciosa.