Roberto Vaquero under fire over 'political prisoners' remark

A post on X criticises Roberto Vaquero for calling ETA members "political prisoners", calling for their amnesty, and having been represented by a lawyer convicted of taking part in the group's kidnappings. The accusation questions his current patriotic rhetoric.

The controversy over Roberto Vaquero does not stem from a recent statement of his, but from a post on X that digs up his past. The text claims he called ETA members "political prisoners" and called for their amnesty and release. The accusation is no small matter: it touches on the vocabulary the abertzale left used for decades to legitimise those imprisoned for terrorism.

## The lawyer who defended him

The post adds a detail that complicates any response: Vaquero chose as his lawyer a legal counsel convicted of taking part in ETA kidnappings. According to the text, that same lawyer also represented **Josu Ternera** and **Puigdemont**. The coincidence proves nothing on its own, but it fuels the suspicion that his legal circle was no accident.

## The patriotic U-turn under scrutiny

The final jab is the one that stings most: "And this guy now wants to play the patriot". Vaquero today presents himself as a defender of Spain's unity and a critic of independence movements. The post argues that this rhetoric clashes with his past. It offers no dates or documents, but the debate over the consistency of ideological converts is nothing new in Spanish politics.

## What can be verified

The tweet includes no links or court rulings. The lawyer's conviction and his role in the ETA kidnappings are presented as facts by the post, but not documented. Any assessment of Vaquero's track record should rest on his own public statements and court rulings, not just on a social media post.