DEAR KING – PLEASE SEND US 6,848 EUROS

On Tuesday I wrote about the mayor of Puerto Real, José Antonio Barroso, who was that day facing the judge – José María Vázquez Honrubia – in the High Court in Madrid.

He was answering a case brought by the Ministerio Fiscal that in April last year at a Republican Rally in Los Barrios he had made statements in his speech that were injurious to the king – Juan Carlos I.

The State prosecutor was seeking a fine of 10,800 euros and in the event the judge found Barroso guilty of excessive criticism of the monarch and wacked him for 6,840 euros – 18 euros a day for 12 months.

For the full story you can read my blog below but the essence is that Barroso, a staunch Republican, had stated his belief that the king is corrupt, as was his father who was also a playboy – or words to that effect.

I believe this is a serious issue but in life I have found most such stories have a humorous side as does this.

It now transpires that the co-ordinator general of Izquierda Unida – the party of José Antonio Barroso – says the IU is to write to the king to ask him to help pay the 6,848 euros fine. He argues that Juan Carlos I has more financial assets that Barroso and the IU which has economic difficulties.

I am not sure whether Cayo Lara was smiling when he announced this news – I certainly was when I read it. However it does strike me that if Barroso is a staunch Republican and anti-monarchist (as well may be Lara) then the last person they should ask for help is the king – but then what do I know.

FREE SPEECH: 10,800 EUROS

The left-wing mayor of Puerto Real, José Antonio Barroso, appears in the Spanish High Court today (Tuesday) to answer the charges that he called King Juan Carlos amongst other things corrupt.

He made the remarks at the 77 th anniversary of the Declaration of the Second Republic on April 14 2008 at a meeting in Los Barrios.

Now Barroso is a leading member in Cádiz province of the Izquierda Unida and a Republican - in my book he should be free to express his views.

Not so says the State prosecutor so he could be fined 10,800 euros.

The Spanish King and the Royal Family are largely popular but there are those who genuinely hold the view that Spain should be a Republic and that the king comes with a large amount of baggage.

During the meeting Barroso said of King Juan Carlos:

“El Borbón es el hijo de un crápula.”

“El Rey es de naturaleza corrupta porque lo es de condición, pero también los es en lo personal.”

“El Borbón de condición deleznable, el presente no es menos deleznable de lo que su padre fue.”
Basically that his father was a debaucher and the King is corrupt as was his father.

Now I am sure there are many people who hold similar views about the British Royal family yet they don’t end up in court by expressing them at a Republican meeting.

Had Barroso urged people to kill the king or members of the Royal family or threatened to do so himself he would have a case to answer.

But in a democracy we are all entitled to express our genuinely held views freely and without hindrance and if the king finds them objectionable then it is he and not the State prosecutor who should seek legal address.

That is what free speech is all about. We might not like what somebody says but we should defend his or her right to say it.