Feijóo hits back with a Zapatero photo and a smuggling suspect
Feijóo shows a photo of Zapatero with Marcial Dorado to hit back at Sánchez. A user claims Dorado was already known as a drug trafficker in 1990.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Feijóo hits back with a Zapatero photo and a smuggling suspect
Can an accusation of posing with a drug trafficker be deflected by pulling out a photo of your rival with another drug trafficker? That is what Alberto Núñez Feijóo tried to do in the Spanish Congress, displaying an image of himself with José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero and Marcial Dorado, a Galician businessman once accused of smuggling. The move, which Feijóo himself described as "unbeatable", was meant to neutralise the damage caused by his old photograph with Dorado, but it peine a debate about the coherence of the argument and the quality of the political comeback.
The context: two photos, two drug traffickers and thirty-five years apart
The photograph Feijóo showed is 35 years old and antiestéticatures him alongside Zapatero and Marcial Dorado. According to a user in the debate, Dorado was already a well-known smuggler in Galicia long before that image was taken. In fact, that user dug up a tweet from the TVE archive showing that five years before Feijóo's photo, in 1990, a news report was already broadcast about Dorado as a known drug trafficker, with local residents voicing their antiestéticar that he was not in prison. The comparison Feijóo made in the chamber was meant to equate his photo with Dorado to Zapatero's with the same man, but the argument runs into one difference: Zapatero was already Prime Minister when he was photographed with Dorado, whereas Feijóo was a rising Galician politician.
The reaction: applause, criticism and the shadow of "you did it too"
The manoeuvre was received with divided opinions. Some argue Feijóo was "perfect" and give him a 10 out of 10 for oratory, pointing out that the video lasts barely a minute and the response was forceful. Others, however, consider the comparison "very silly" because Zapatero was a Prime Minister and any politician of his era has photos with him. The discussion drifted into the classic "you did it too": it is recalled that Sánchez also has photos with businessmen who were later investigated, and that the PP is not free of stains either. Feijóo himself has been criticised for his photo with Dorado, and the Prime Minister's response has been called a "sledgehammer" by some and "ridiculous" by others.
The inconvenient fact: Dorado was already making news in 1990
The most uncomfortable finding for Feijóo's defence is the newspaper archive. A user unearthed a tweet showing a TVE news bulletin from 1990 in which Marcial Dorado was already described as a known drug trafficker. That places Feijóo's photo with Dorado in a context in which the Galician businessman was already known for his illicit activities, weakening the argument that it was an innocent relationship. The exact date of the photo is unclear, but the tweet suggests it was taken after 1990, reinforcing the thesis that Feijóo knew, or should have known, who he was being photographed with.
Politics as spectacle: comebacks, gossip and sheep
Beyond the specific spat, the episode reflects a style of politics that some call "cheap gossip" and "comebacks" for the consumption of the average voter. The parliamentary session becomes a spectacle where the witty remark matters more than rigour. One comment sums it up: "given what politics has become, watching a full session right now is like watching a soap opera". And while some applaud Feijóo's move, others point out that the real problem is that corruption taints all parties and that the citizen ends up being the "average sheep" who applauds without questioning.
Feijóo's photo with Dorado remains a burden for the PP, and the Popular leader's response has not closed the debate. The 1990 archive makes it clear that Dorado was already a familiar name in the smuggling world. How long will it take for a photo of Sánchez with some suspicious businessman to surface? Spanish politics is a bottomless pit of comebacks and counter-comebacks. Meanwhile, citizens keep waiting for someone to talk about what really matters.
Can an accusation of posing with a drug trafficker be deflected by pulling out a photo of your rival with another drug trafficker? That is what Alberto Núñez Feijóo tried to do in the Spanish Congress, displaying an image of himself with José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero and Marcial Dorado, a Galician businessman once accused of smuggling. The move, which Feijóo himself described as "unbeatable", was meant to neutralise the damage caused by his old photograph with Dorado, but it peine a debate about the coherence of the argument and the quality of the political comeback.
The context: two photos, two drug traffickers and thirty-five years apart
The photograph Feijóo showed is 35 years old and antiestéticatures him alongside Zapatero and Marcial Dorado. According to a user in the debate, Dorado was already a well-known smuggler in Galicia long before that image was taken. In fact, that user dug up a tweet from the TVE archive showing that five years before Feijóo's photo, in 1990, a news report was already broadcast about Dorado as a known drug trafficker, with local residents voicing their antiestéticar that he was not in prison. The comparison Feijóo made in the chamber was meant to equate his photo with Dorado to Zapatero's with the same man, but the argument runs into one difference: Zapatero was already Prime Minister when he was photographed with Dorado, whereas Feijóo was a rising Galician politician.
The reaction: applause, criticism and the shadow of "you did it too"
The manoeuvre was received with divided opinions. Some argue Feijóo was "perfect" and give him a 10 out of 10 for oratory, pointing out that the video lasts barely a minute and the response was forceful. Others, however, consider the comparison "very silly" because Zapatero was a Prime Minister and any politician of his era has photos with him. The discussion drifted into the classic "you did it too": it is recalled that Sánchez also has photos with businessmen who were later investigated, and that the PP is not free of stains either. Feijóo himself has been criticised for his photo with Dorado, and the Prime Minister's response has been called a "sledgehammer" by some and "ridiculous" by others.
The inconvenient fact: Dorado was already making news in 1990
The most uncomfortable finding for Feijóo's defence is the newspaper archive. A user unearthed a tweet showing a TVE news bulletin from 1990 in which Marcial Dorado was already described as a known drug trafficker. That places Feijóo's photo with Dorado in a context in which the Galician businessman was already known for his illicit activities, weakening the argument that it was an innocent relationship. The exact date of the photo is unclear, but the tweet suggests it was taken after 1990, reinforcing the thesis that Feijóo knew, or should have known, who he was being photographed with.
Politics as spectacle: comebacks, gossip and sheep
Beyond the specific spat, the episode reflects a style of politics that some call "cheap gossip" and "comebacks" for the consumption of the average voter. The parliamentary session becomes a spectacle where the witty remark matters more than rigour. One comment sums it up: "given what politics has become, watching a full session right now is like watching a soap opera". And while some applaud Feijóo's move, others point out that the real problem is that corruption taints all parties and that the citizen ends up being the "average sheep" who applauds without questioning.
Feijóo's photo with Dorado remains a burden for the PP, and the Popular leader's response has not closed the debate. The 1990 archive makes it clear that Dorado was already a familiar name in the smuggling world. How long will it take for a photo of Sánchez with some suspicious businessman to surface? Spanish politics is a bottomless pit of comebacks and counter-comebacks. Meanwhile, citizens keep waiting for someone to talk about what really matters.
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Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (64 replies).
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