[ad_1]
A prominent Spanish conservative politician was shot in the face in the center of Madrid Thursday afternoon, authorities said.
Alejandro Vidal-Quadras, the former leader of the People’s Party of Catalonia, was shot on a street in the capital just before 2 p.m. local time. He was shot at point-blank range while walking in the wealthy neighborhood of Salamanca.
The 78-year-old — a former vice president of the European Parliament and one of the founders of Spain’s far-right Vox party — was conscious when he was taken to a nearby hospital, according to local media reports.
The bullet passed through his jaw, according to Mariluz Sabín, with Madrid’s emergency services. He’s expected to survive.
Two men on a black Yamaha motorcycle were apparently involved in the shooting, according to El País.
Witnesses described the shooter as “a young, small man” wearing a helmet. He fired at least one shot from about 6 feet away. He then jumped onto the motorcycle and the pair drove away.
La víctima ha sufrido una herida por arma de fuego en la zona mandibular con orificio de entrada y salida. Lo explica la supervisora de @SAMUR_PC, Mariluz Sabín. @policia investiga este suceso.
Colabora @policiademadrid pic.twitter.com/kRcdZlP4Yi— Emergencias Madrid (@EmergenciasMad) November 9, 2023
Earlier on Thursday, Vidal-Quadras criticized an agreement between Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and the former Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont.
The deal grants amnesty for Catalan separatists in exchange for support for Sánchez’s Socialist Party efforts to form a new government.
The “infamous pact … that crushes the rule of law in Spain and ends the separation of powers has already been struck,” Vidal-Quadras wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “Our nation will then cease to be a liberal democracy and become a totalitarian tyranny. We Spaniards will not allow it.”
Around 3:30 p.m., local time, Sánchez expressed his solidarity on social media and wished Vidal-Quadras a speedy recovery.
“We trust that an investigation into the incident will clarify the facts as soon as possible and lead to the arrest of those responsible,” he wrote on X.
[ad_2]
Muri Assunção
Source link