The former president of the People’s Party of Catalonia, Alejo Vida-Quadras he is in serious condition after being hit in the face by a gunshot in Núñez de Balboa street, in the center of Madrid. The former popular deputy was walking alone on the street when a person approached him and shot him from a distance of about two meters. Police are hunting a man who allegedly fled on a motorbike. “Thank God Alejo Vidal-Quadras is out of danger of his life,” said Vox leader Santiago Abascal.
The Madrid police believe that the attack was the work of a professional with the intention of carrying it out a “planned” action“. But for now it is investigating the fact as an event of common crime and not as a terrorist attack. The Ministry of the Interior has in fact reported that the investigations have been entrusted to the agents of the Homicide Group of the Madrid Police Headquarters, and not the specialists of the “anti-terrorism, which are those who intervene when an attack is committed. Scientific police specialists also intervened at the scene, who cordoned off several blocks in the area to collect evidence that would allow the perpetrators of the shooting to be identified.
Alejo Vidal-Quadras himself then indicated to the police that the attack he was the victim of today could be linked to his relations with the Iranian opposition. Several Iberian media write this. El Pais, in particular, also recalls its investigation several years ago which revealed how Vox, since its foundation, received many funds from the National Council of Iranian Resistance, an organization of the Iranian opposition in exile.
The shot, fired from a nine parabellum caliber pistol, hit the former president of the Catalan PP in the mandibular area with an entry and exit hole. The attacker was wearing a black helmet, a blue sweatshirt and jeans, and had just gotten off a black Yamaha motorcycle, where another individual was waiting for him, with whom he fled immediately after the shot.
A few minutes before being the victim of the attack, the former president of the Catalan PP had written on X: “The infamous pact between Sánchez and Puigdemont which crushes the rule of law in Spain and puts an end to the separation of powers has already been agreed. Our nation will thus cease to be a liberal democracy and will become a totalitarian tyranny. We Spaniards will not allow it.”
Prime Minister Sanchez on X: “I want to express my solidarity and my best wishes for a speedy recovery to Alejo Vidal-Quadras. All my love at this moment for him and his family. We trust that the investigations will clarify the facts as soon as possible and those responsible will be arrested.” The leader of the PP, Alberto Nunez Feijoo: “We firmly condemn the attack in Madrid. I ask the investigators to find the culprit immediately and we hope that Alejo Vidal-Quadras recovers soon.”
ANSA AgencyVideo Spain, attack on a former leader of the Catalan People’s Party: it is very serious
Who is Alejo Vidal-Cuadras
Former professor of atomic physics at the Autónoma University of Barcelona, Alejo Vidal-Quadras, 78, has long experience in Catalan politics. He took his first steps in the city’s municipal council, elected on the lists of the People’s Alliance, the centre-right party, from 1987 to ’91. Then he was a regional deputy and senator.
He was elected president of the PP from 1991 to 1996, but left the party in protest over the agreement between Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar and the Catalanists of Convergencia y Uniò. In 1999 he returned to the PP from which he was elected MEP between 1999 and until 2014 he was vice president of the European Parliament.
On 27 January 2014, after over thirty years of militancy, he abandoned the popular party to found the new far-right party Vox of which he became provisional president. The following year, however, he also resigned from Vox, after being disavowed by the party for having supported the rapprochement with the centrist Ciudadanos party.
Meloni: “Vidal and unacceptable violence against Vidal-Quadras”
“The Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, expresses her closeness and that of the Government to Alejo Vidal-Quadras and his family for the cowardly attack of which he was the victim today. President Meloni learned with relief the reassuring news on the conditions of the President Vidal-Quadras, to whom he wished a speedy and full recovery. The Head of Government’s great concern and condemnation remain firm for an act of unacceptable violence, perpetrated against a political exponent of an important European nation”. This was reported in a note from Palazzo Chigi.
Tajani: “Solidarity with our friend Vidal-Quadras for the cowardly attack”
“I want to express my heartfelt solidarity with my friend Aleix Vidal-Quadras for today’s cowardly attack in Madrid. I wish you a speedy recovery!”. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani wrote it in Spanish, on X. The former president of the Catalan PP and co-founder of Vox Vidal-Quadras was the victim of an attack today in Madrid during which he was shot in the face. His life is not in danger, but his condition remains serious.
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