Alfonso Rojo's TV confession: did he pull strings for an undocumented migrant in Spain?
Spanish journalist Alfonso Rojo admitted on television that he used his contacts to help an undocumented immigrant. Influence peddling or a humane gesture? The video vanished, but…
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Alfonso Rojo admits using his influence to help an undocumented migrant
During a panel discussion on 13TV (now TRECE), Alfonso Rojo, director of Periodista Digital, described how he helped a young Brazilian without papers get his son enrolled in school. According to his account, he walked into a public office on Bravo Murillo street in Madrid and, merely by mentioning his name to the civil servant Manuela, got the matter sorted. The video is no longer available on YouTube, but its transcript has resurfaced on forums.
Reactions were not long in coming. Some see the anecdote as a display of influence —"fixed contacts in the administration for his shady dealings". Others view it as a humane gesture by a journalist who, despite an editorial line critical of irregular immigration, acted to help a specific family.
Confession of influence peddling or an act of solidarity?
Rojo explained that the child could not access school because he lacked municipal registration (empadronamiento), a usual requirement for school enrolment in Spain. "I went with him to an office… all I had to say to the civil servant was: look, this guy…". The sentence is cut off in the transcript, but it suggests his name alone was enough to cut through the red tape.
Critics point out that an ordinary citizen would not have achieved the same without contacts. "For the rest of us mortals, registering without papers is a bureaucratic ordeal", one analysis sums up. Others note that Rojo has been harsh on illegal immigration, which adds hypocrisy to the episode.
On the other hand, defenders argue that Rojo simply exercised his right to request information and that the civil servant acted correctly. The debate, in any case, remains open.
During a panel discussion on 13TV (now TRECE), Alfonso Rojo, director of Periodista Digital, described how he helped a young Brazilian without papers get his son enrolled in school. According to his account, he walked into a public office on Bravo Murillo street in Madrid and, merely by mentioning his name to the civil servant Manuela, got the matter sorted. The video is no longer available on YouTube, but its transcript has resurfaced on forums.
Reactions were not long in coming. Some see the anecdote as a display of influence —"fixed contacts in the administration for his shady dealings". Others view it as a humane gesture by a journalist who, despite an editorial line critical of irregular immigration, acted to help a specific family.
Confession of influence peddling or an act of solidarity?
Rojo explained that the child could not access school because he lacked municipal registration (empadronamiento), a usual requirement for school enrolment in Spain. "I went with him to an office… all I had to say to the civil servant was: look, this guy…". The sentence is cut off in the transcript, but it suggests his name alone was enough to cut through the red tape.
Critics point out that an ordinary citizen would not have achieved the same without contacts. "For the rest of us mortals, registering without papers is a bureaucratic ordeal", one analysis sums up. Others note that Rojo has been harsh on illegal immigration, which adds hypocrisy to the episode.
On the other hand, defenders argue that Rojo simply exercised his right to request information and that the civil servant acted correctly. The debate, in any case, remains open.
Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (24 replies).
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