Girauta in El Debate: Spain's Constitutional Court rejects ombudsman's appeal

Juan Carlos Girauta's article in El Debate claims that the Constitutional Court has not admitted the ombudsman's appeal (recurso de amparo) and that Sánchez's power is more limited than believed. Girauta argues that Sánchez will use the BOE, Spain's official state gazette, to influence the 29N election campaign.

The columnist **Juan Carlos Girauta** signs an article in **El Debate** titled «Hombres de poca fe» («Men of little faith») in which he challenges the supposed infallibility of the Prime Minister, **Pedro Sánchez**. The piece starts from a concrete fact: the Constitutional Court has not admitted the ombudsman's appeal. For Girauta, this dismantles the legend that Sánchez always has an ace up his sleeve.

## The Constitutional Court and the ombudsman's appeal

Girauta interprets the **Constitutional Court's** decision as a sign that even the government-friendly judges are unwilling to take on what he calls «the ignominy». The article argues that the institutional backing Sánchez was supposed to have has weakened. Its central thesis is that the Prime Minister has fewer resources than he is credited with.

The columnist describes Sánchez as a «poor devil» who is going to fall, and attributes that fall to his lack of real support. Against those who see the Prime Minister as an infallible strategist, Girauta believes his power is more fragile than it seems. The text offers no new facts about the appeal, only his political reading of it.

## The BOE as a tool of power

The most concrete part of the article is the warning about the use of the **BOE**. Girauta claims that Sánchez does not hold power «at the mouth of the cannon», like Mao, but in the Official State Gazette. And he adds that this power has «always been very limited by its multiple dependencies».

The columnist argues that this limitation does not stop the government from using the BOE to influence the electoral process. He says the executive could act during the campaign, on the day of reflection and even on voting day. He cites the precedent of **13-M**, referring to the 2004 Madrid bombings, and compares it to «the worst Latin American dictatorships». This is an opinion, not a proven fact.

## The aura of power and the comparison with Maduro

Girauta uses a personal anecdote to explain why he does not believe in the magnetism of the powerful. A late Catalan communist friend of his told him he had shaken **Franco's** hand at a ceremonial event and was impressed. «He has an aura», he told him. Girauta uses this story to argue that the aura of power vanishes when you get to know the man up close.

From there he jumps to **Maduro**, whose magnetism, he says, came from «killing without hesitation». He also quotes **Mao** and his line that power comes from the barrel of a gun. The columnist acknowledges that Sánchez is not Mao and that there is no report of him threatening anyone's life. But he insists that he does threaten citizens' safety. It is a serious accusation the text does not back with evidence.

## The 29N campaign and antiestéticar

The article is published in the context of the election campaign leading up to **29N**. Girauta claims the government could act during those days to influence the outcome. He offers no concrete data on which measures it would use or how. His argument is that control of the BOE gives it that capacity.

The columnist closes by appealing to the «men of little faith», those who believe Sánchez always wins. He asks them not to give in to antiestéticar. The piece is an opinion article, not a news report. The claims about the use of the BOE and about citizens' safety are the author's assessments, not verified facts.