SPAIN'S president Mariano Rajoy has voiced his disapproval of Donald Trump's ban on citizens of seven majority-Muslim countries from entering the USA – but avoided criticising too much so as not to cause a diplomatic crisis.
Madrid's mayoress Manuela Carmena, however, has likened Trump's election to office with that of Adolf Hitler.
During a meeting with the Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces (FEMP) held in tribute to the late Valencia mayoress Rita Barberá, Rajoy said he 'trusts the situation will be resolved' and that 'things will get back to normal'.
Rajoy stressed he is not in favour of vetos, nor borders, but believes that the world 'is not going to head down that road'.
Government spokesman Íñigo Méndez de Vigo assured that Spain would 'defend its values' and 'make its principles plain' both in its bilateral relations with the USA and in any international forum, but 'without resorting to strident protests or shouting', instead using 'diplomacy'.
Méndez de Vigo, who is also minister of culture and sports, says he 'appealed from the word go to México and the USA to rebuild their relationship'.
He denied accusations that the PP-led Spanish government had not publicly or privately condemned Trump's policies, insisting Spain had 'made its position very clear from the start'.
Less subtly, Manuela Carmena likened the 45th US president's victory to that of the German Nazi leader responsible for World War II and the holocaust.
She did not name Adolf Hitler when she recalled that he was, like Trump, democratically elected, but the context made it very clear to whom she was referring.
Sra Carmena opened the monthly council plenary session – meetings which the public are allowed to attend without invitation – by admitting that the ban on passport-holders from seven African and Middle Eastern countries was not exactly local authority business, but that 'there are circumstances which justify' mentioning such issues.
“At times, those of us who remain silent are just as guilty,” said the mayoress.
“I find it difficult to speak out about any ordinary matter without at least a minimum reference to the collective protest of citizens worldwide in light of the violation of human rights occurring at the hands of the current US president.”
She was applauded by her own party, left-wing Ahora Madrid, and several members of the audience.
“Whilst Trump's government has been legitimately elected and backed by a very high number of North American citizens, some of the greatest human rights violations of the 20th century were also caused by a democratically-elected government which had the support of an overwhelming number of people.
“And we're appalled, nowadays, at the terrible genocides, those situations which tore so many people from their rights and wiped them out.”
Ex-judge Carmena, now famous for her human and social rights and welfare policies, was thanked by the spokespersons for the socialists (PSOE) and centre-right Ciudadanos, but PP spokeswoman and former regional president Esperanza Aguirre 'condemned most categorically' the mayoress' speech.
“Whether you like or don't like Trump – and there are many things I don't like – the mayoress should not be giving lessons in democracy to the people of the United States,” Aguirre complained.
“I think it's absolutely and totally out of line for us in Europe – where some of the worst totalitarian régimes in history, including the Nazis and communism, came into being – to give lectures to anyone else.”
