Anglosaxons 2 - 0 Latins

There is a difference between Anglosaxon politicians and the Latins: the first ones still keep some honor and shame, despite being politicians.

If you decide to live your life in Washington, London, Brussels, Rome or Madrid’s halls, chances are that after living a life of high standards, near the power and always insulting your opponent (in a mannerly way) will head you into corruption soon or later. You have to be a real angel to avoid a moment of weakness. We just have to look at all the democracies; in all of them have been, are and they will be corruption cases. Not to talk about non-democratic countries.

We all can fail sometime. Politicians even more. They have the temptation closer to them and theirs is stronger. Make mistakes is human. Stay in a mistake is for idiots. Stay in a mistake trying to hide it, lie or escape from it after is cynical and people in politics caught doing so should be able to work again in a public job. And it should be a shame for everyone, from the person involved to the party.

Well, not in Latin countries. We talked here a few days ago about Italy and Berlusconi. In Spain, is kinda the same.

Biggest Spanish scandals from the 80’s and 90’s were in hands of the socialist party -then in power- and their friends. Now, it’s the turn for the Popular Party. Francisco Camps, president of the regional government of Valencia, faces a possible case of inappropriate use of public expenses to pay for personal goods. To be precise, to pay for a few suits. But Camps is only the top of a fraud pyramid that goes much further, with many people involved, some close to the former President, Mr. José María Aznar.

The usual for these cases is that the person involved claim for his innocence (obviously). If the case if too dark (and this one is), he or she should resignate even before everything is cleared, just for the greater good of the party. Even if the mistake was committed by accident. That is precisely what happened in the UK. There, a similar scandal is taking place, with dozens of MPs from both parties being asked about the expenses claimed in the past five years.

The ones with the biggest debts -at least for now only on the papers-, like Shahid Malik, Minister for Justice, have submitted their resignation. The party leaders apologize for themselves and for the party. Shame make the ones involved look to the floor.

Not in Spain. In fact, there it is completely the opposite. The party supports the accused (logical) by saying it is all a conspiracy from a pro-socialist or pro-government judges and a party-targeted prosecution (illogical). And the ones affected, not only don’t look at the floor covered on shame but they shout defiant that Justice will never be able to prove it. Of course, no one talks about resignations.

To resign in Spain -or Italy- is part of Sci-Fi like it is good weather in England. It has to be really messed up to make a Spanish politician to resign. In the UK politicians resign over expenses; in the US over a plane flying low in Manhattan. In Spain, someone who contracted a low cost aviation group to take home from Afghanistan a group of soldiers, didn’t resign. Not even after the plane crashed in Turkey. Not even after the corpses weren’t properly identified and remains of different soldiers were mixed up in the coffins. No one resigned. No one said sorry. No one showed shame, not even in the current prosecution. In Spain, as long as others don’t blow up your cover, you are safe. You can even be promoted.



Photo: EFE
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