Donald Trump’s statement classifying Spain as a country of the BRICS (emerging powers) has generated some confusion in the Government with one part that considers that it is a mistake by the new president of the United States and another that senses some message behind his words.
And he has gone further and criticized Spain for its “low” contribution to NATO, thereby threatening to raise tariffs, multiplying the political reactions in our country.
Faced with this mistake by the new American president, the Government has preferred prudence and avoid conflict with “a reliable partner” who will do everything possible to continue having a strategic relationship with the United States.
This is the message given by the Executive’s spokesperson, Pilar Alegría, who, in response to Trump’s mistake, has limited herself to pointing out that “obviously Spain is not a BRICS, it is not an emerging country” and has said that she did not know if it was a confusion. or not.
Being considered a BRIC is closely related to the increase in tariffs. In this regard, the minister recalled that in the last decade trade exchanges between the two countries have doubled and has insisted that Spain is the “main” economic engine of the EU, also reiterating the “absolutely clear and firm” commitment to NATO by remembering that it is the eighth contributing country of the 32 that make up the alliance.
The Minister of Defense, Margarita Robles, has spoken along the same lines, emphasizing from Beirut that Spain “is a serious, reliable, responsible and committed ally”, with more than 3,800 soldiers on peace missions and with a presence in Latvia, Slovakia. , Romania or Turkey within the Alliance.
He highlighted Spain’s enormous investment effort in defense, in relation to the objective agreed at the last NATO summit, held in Madrid, for member countries to contribute at least 2 percent, an objective that Spain committed to achieving. in 2029.
However, the Sumar part of the Executive has entered into the controversy by warning that Trump’s return is “dangerous” as stated by the second vice president and Minister of Labor, Yolanda Díaz, who has urged the promotion of a stronger European project. to confront the protectionist policy of the new president of the United States.
He believes that today, more than ever, Europe has to play a leading role, because Trump’s strategy is clear: “annihilate the entire European space.”
And from the right they have taken advantage of Trump’s mistake to charge against the Executive, so that the Madrid president, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, has indicated that she will be “personally” in charge of demonstrating that Spain is not part of the BRICS countries (association of Brazil , Russia, India, China and South Africa).
Ayuso has offered Trump the collaboration of the Community of Madrid, whom he has wished “every success”, and has regretted that the Executive’s “progressive ideology” has led the US to see us “aligned with dictatorships and impoverished countries.”
Furthermore, the PP spokesperson in Congress, Miguel Tellado, has said that the confusion with the BRICS should not be taken “literally”, although he sees it as a worrying sign that there is “an international perception that Spain does not It’s reliable.”
“Spain is not the Sánchez Government. It is evident that Spain’s international image has been damaged,” said Tellado, who alluded to institutional degradation or the “collusion that Sánchez maintains with certain dictatorships, as is the case of Venezuela.” .
On the part of Vox, whose leader attended Trump’s inauguration in Washington, they have defended the new American president, because “he looks after the interests of his people and protects them,” said the parliamentary spokesperson, Pepa Millán.
Furthermore, he considers that the possibility of Trump imposing tariffs on Spain is not a problem of the United States but of the policies imposed by the European Union and the “unfair competition” from non-EU countries.