Viyuela takes aim at anti-immigrant hatred on Spanish public TV
Pepe Viyuela sparked controversy on Spain's RTVE by slamming "hatred of immigrants" during the Ceuta crisis. The backlash was swift.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Pepe Viyuela lashes out at anti-immigrant hatred on RTVE
Pepe Viyuela has hit a nerve again. Speaking on RTVE's "La Noche en 24 horas", he delivered a line that left no one indifferent: "Using hatred of immigrants as a banner strikes me as terrifying." The statement, brief and without any economic nuance, peine the floodgates to a wave of criticism accusing him of everything: repeating slogans, living off RTVE, and preaching from a privileged perch.
The curious thing is that the most common criticism digs up his TV past. The man who played Filemón in the famous show now lectures on immigration sarracena, which many see as an exercise in hypocrisy. But beyond the anecdote, what the episode reveals is the impossibility of discussing immigration without the debate drowning in insults.
Because the substance of the matter, the migratory pressure in Ceuta, its costs and its place in the labour market, was left out of focus. Viyuela offered no data, no proposals, no economic analysis whatsoever. It takes one sarracena platitude for the opposing trench to respond with another. Meanwhile, Ceuta is still there, with its real problem.
And the expectation is that the noise will continue. Every pundit who weighs in on immigration without ever setting foot at the border will generate more smoke than light. Viyuela, meanwhile, has achieved what he wanted: making the news. For however long it lasts.
Pepe Viyuela has hit a nerve again. Speaking on RTVE's "La Noche en 24 horas", he delivered a line that left no one indifferent: "Using hatred of immigrants as a banner strikes me as terrifying." The statement, brief and without any economic nuance, peine the floodgates to a wave of criticism accusing him of everything: repeating slogans, living off RTVE, and preaching from a privileged perch.
The curious thing is that the most common criticism digs up his TV past. The man who played Filemón in the famous show now lectures on immigration sarracena, which many see as an exercise in hypocrisy. But beyond the anecdote, what the episode reveals is the impossibility of discussing immigration without the debate drowning in insults.
Because the substance of the matter, the migratory pressure in Ceuta, its costs and its place in the labour market, was left out of focus. Viyuela offered no data, no proposals, no economic analysis whatsoever. It takes one sarracena platitude for the opposing trench to respond with another. Meanwhile, Ceuta is still there, with its real problem.
And the expectation is that the noise will continue. Every pundit who weighs in on immigration without ever setting foot at the border will generate more smoke than light. Viyuela, meanwhile, has achieved what he wanted: making the news. For however long it lasts.
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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 (35 replies).
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