The fact that the Ertzaintza and now the Mosso publish the “origin” of prisoners in their statistics is undoubtedly a great step forward against crime. Criminals are like wine, oil or sausage, and a killer from Jabugo or Rioja, with its protected designation of origin, is not the same as the one with the white label you can find in any supermarket. We must distinguish between criminals and criminals, note the difference between a house robbed by a foreigner and another robbed by a Basque with eight surnames. One does not rob you in the same way as the other: the foreigner bears the imprint of Cain in his blood, while the Spaniard, especially if Catholic, will have his reasons. Who is not willing to forgive a fellow countryman? Among the Spaniards, things are resolved with a few glasses of cognac at the bar, and lots of friends. But if the attacker is a foreigner there is nothing that can be done. For example, if he is Muslim, you cannot invite him to ham and then no one will reconcile.
The statistical reform will mark a before and after in the history of crime in Spain. If they manipulate the data well, they will end up demonstrating what Vox and Aliança Catalana want: that Spaniards do not steal, kill or rape. Crime does not accord with our national character. Crime is an imported vice, like Coca-Cola or Halloween, and if any Spaniards ever fall into its trap, it will be because of foreign influence, because everything remains, especially evil.
It is not those of Vox or Aliança who announce the changes in the statistics, but rather two autonomous governments of parties that pride themselves on being democratic and defenders of a complex, plural and open society: the PNV-PSE coalition in Euskadi and the PSC in Catalonia. They started out in theory opposed to racism, even belligerent against it. They support anti-hate initiatives and support institutions that work on the assistance and integration of immigrants. But when the far right pushes them in the polls, they decide to fight it by becoming one. They stick to his speech in hopes of attracting their voters. If necessary, they court racists, saying their concerns must be understood and their fears addressed.
It’s a strategy worthy of Napoleon: if you become your enemy, he no longer represents a threat. This is how the PSOE ate Podemos, swallowing up its social discourse and leaving it without arguments before the voters. So some hope to devour the ultras or, at least, slow their growth. Curious way to defeat them, giving them all the victories.
