At 63 years old, and almost 13 years after leaving La Moncloa, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero is the former president with the greatest electoral pull for his own party. He has just published “Crónica de la España que dialoga” (Navona), a book of conversations with the former director of La Vanguardia, Marius Carol, in which he recounts tense moments of his Government, such as the night when Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba, during negotiations with ETA, called him to say that the leader of the band, Francisco Javier López Peña, alias Thierry, demanded to speak with the president or threatened to explode several bombs in different parts of the country the next morning. Zapatero and Rubalcaba decided to reject the blackmail and wait, thinking it was a bluff. They were right, but suffered until it was confirmed.
The entire book is about dialogue. But why do voters dislike it so much? Those who negotiate lose elections. Dialogue is the essential value of politics. With the election of Trump, polarization has spread worldwide. Today, we are in a moment where dialogue and peaceful conflict resolution have taken a backseat. Zapatero believes that dialogue is above all a goal in itself. In Catalonia, he believes that recognizing the singularity, potential of self-government, and history, as well as discussing financing, is possible and necessary in the dialogue.
In our constitutional system, sovereignty is unquestionable. A divisive referendum does not solve any problem because the loser today may seek revenge tomorrow, leading to an ongoing conflict. Zapatero believes that recognizing Catalonia’s uniqueness, potential for self-government, and history, as well as discussing financing, is possible and necessary in dialogue. He does not believe that a referendum based on the article 92 of the Constitution is the right solution. In Switzerland, talks are still in a premature phase, focusing on amnesty as a necessary condition to enable political dialogue.
Regarding the dialogue in Switzerland, Zapatero is not directly involved but is always available to help if requested by his party or the government discreetly. He believes that maintaining discretion in dialogue is the only way to be truly helpful. When asked if the Catalan elections could bring down the government, Zapatero believes that the legislature will continue beyond the election results. However, the conflict in Catalonia is ingrained and complex, lasting for over two centuries, making it challenging to find a definitive solution.
Zapatero recounts a challenging night during negotiations with ETA, where the leader of the band, Thierry, threatened to detonate bombs if he did not speak with Zapatero. Despite the risk, Zapatero and his team decided not to negotiate, eventually proving that it was a bluff. He reflects on the progress made since leaving office and takes pride in the improvements in security and stability since his tenure. Zapatero notes the parallels between his negotiations with ETA and current efforts by the government in dealing with the Catalonian crisis. He believes that recognition and appreciation for these efforts will come in due time.
