This Thursday, the Kings and Princess of Asturias led the commemorative events of the National Day in the Plaza de Neptuno in Madrid, the new location of the tribune from which the state authorities attend the parade of 4,177 men and women of the Armed Forces, along with 142 vehicles and 86 aircraft. As in previous years, the public booed and hissed Pedro Sánchez, the government’s acting president, when he arrived in the area to receive the king. There were also chants: “Let Txapote vote for you,” the ETA assassin who killed Miguel Ángel Blanco. In fact, even before the PSOE leader appeared, some protests could be heard in the background. Leonor de Borbón, a cadet at the Academy of Zaragoza, attends the academy in full army uniform after being absent for two years for her studies in Wales, where her sister is, who is not attending. The heiress also makes her debut at the subsequent reception in the royal palace.
For the first time, a woman has carried the Spanish flag in this solemn act: it is Corporal María del Carmen Gómez Hurtado, 38, one of the few women with green berets in the Air Force’s special unit, who he parachuted down with the flag. The Eagle Patrol closed the stop with a final pass, leaving the colors of the Spanish flag across the Madrid sky. And at the end, shouts could be heard again: “Let Txapote vote for you”, “Puigdemont in prison”, “Pedro Sánchez, villain” or “Pedro Sánchez, resignation”.
Pedro Sánchez’s arrival took place on a side street and was not announced over the public address system. In fact, the shouting began shortly after he greeted the president of the Community of Madrid, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, and the mayor of the capital, José Luis Martínez Almeida, both from the PP. In addition to the boos, people could clearly be heard chanting “Let Txapote vote for you,” the name of the multiple ETA murderer who was saved and popularized by sections of the right during the election campaign, which they even wear on T-shirts . T-shirts despite the rejection of terror victim groups. The shouts have returned at the end of the parade, which added calls for resignation and accusations of being a traitor, with references to Carles Puigdemont and the negotiation of an eventual amnesty for those accused of the Catalan independence process.
The authorities’ stand was about 150 meters from the audience location. The Ministry of Defense has clarified that the change in the location of the parade is due to the work on the Paseo de la Castellana, from Plaza de Cuzco to Nuevos Ministerios, due to the construction of the new cycle path. However, this did not prevent the screams and shouts from being easily heard where the authorities were.
The screams at the beginning subsided when the king was announced, whereupon the audience burst into applause, and ended when Sánchez left the area along Felipe IV’s side street rather than along the Paseo del Prado. Shortly afterwards, the tribute to those who died in Spain took place, with Felipe VI. and Princess Leonor together and during a period of military salute as the Eagle Patrol flew over Madrid, leaving a trail of smoke in the colors of Spain’s national flag. .
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Felipe VI wears the uniform of a Captain General of the Aerospace Army, while his daughter and heiress wears the dress uniform of a cadet at the General Military Academy of Zaragoza, where she studies. Leonor greeted the authorities after the king and queen.
Acting Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez after the parade on October 12th. Chema Moya (EFE)
On the day of the national holiday, members of the Civil Guard parade around on horseback. PIERRE PHILIPPE MARCOU (AFP)
Legion members, during the Oct. 12 parade. Samuel Sanchez 
Navy personnel paraded in front of the authorities’ gallery this Thursday. Samuel Sanchez 
Members of the National Police during the parade on October 12th. Samuel Sanchez 
A paratrooper descended this Thursday with the Spanish flag to start the parade. Samuel Sanchez 
The Princess of Asturias and King Felipe VI, this Thursday raising the flag at the parade on October 12th. Samuel Sanchez 
The Princess of Asturias, Leonor de Borbón, raising the flag at the parade on October 12th. DANIEL GONZÁLEZ (EFE)
The Kings and Princess of Asturias watched the air parade. Samuel Sanchez 
At the start of the parade, the Eagle Patrol painted the colors of the Spanish flag. Samuel Sanchez 
The Eagle Patrol flew over Madrid at the start of the parade on October 12th. Jaime Villanueva
Princess Leonor, Queen Letizia and the incumbent Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez upon their arrival at the parade.Chema Moya (EFE)
The President of the Senate, Pedro Rollán; The incumbent Minister of Transport, Raquel Sánchez, and the incumbent Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, followed the parade on October 12th this Thursday.Samuel Sánchez 
From left: Alberto Núñez Feijóo, leader of the PP; Santiago Abascal, President of Vox; Patxi López, socialist speaker in Congress, and the popular Cuca Gamarra.Samuel Sánchez 
The President of Navarre, María Chivite; the President of the Government of Extremadura, María Guardiola, and the President of the Community of Madrid, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, during the parade on October 12th. Chema Moya (EFE)
From left, Vox leader Santiago Abascal; the speakers of the PSOE and the PP in Congress, Patxi López and Cuca Gamarra, and the leader of the PP, Alberto Núñez Feijóo. Samuel Sanchez 
From left, the President of the Constitutional Court, Cándido Conde-Pumpido, the acting Minister of Agriculture Luis Planas; incumbent third vice president Yolanda Díaz; the Minister’s Acting Spokesperson, Isabel Rodríguez; and Acting Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares; for Health, José Manuel Miñones; for Defense, Margarita Robles, for Science and Innovation, Diana Morant and for Interior, Grande-Marlaska, in the Gallery of Authorities.Samuel Sánchez 
From left, incumbent ministers María Jesús Montero (Finance Ministry), Fernando Grande-Marlaska (Interior Ministry), Raquel Sánchez (Transport), Pilar Alegría (Education) and Héctor Gómez (Industry).Chema Moya (EFE)
The President of the Autonomous City of Ceuta, Juan Jesús Vivas (in the middle), in the tribune of the authorities before the military parade. Chema Moya (EFE)
The President of the Balearic Islands, Marga Prohens, and Castilla y León, Alfonso Fernández Mañueco, before the parade.Samuel Sánchez 
The President of the Junta de Castilla y León, Alfonso Fernández Mañueco (left), chatted with the PP Senator Javier Maroto (with his back turned) and with the President of the Generalitat Valenciana, Carlos Mazón (second from the right). .chema Moya (EFE)
Final preparations in front of the authorities’ tribune before the military parade. Samuel Sanchez
A young man chatted with army soldiers on the Paseo del Prado in Madrid this Thursday: Jaime Villanueva
Members of the Royal Guard took a family photo in front of the authorities’ gallery at the start of the parade. Samuel Sanchez
The audience crowded to watch the parade on the Paseo del Prado in Madrid.Jaime Villanueva
A member of the royal guard prepared the horse for the parade. Jaime Villanueva
Atmosphere on the Prado promenade in Madrid before the parade.Jaime Villanueva
Army troops waited for the parade to begin in Madrid this Thursday. Jaime Villanueva
Members of the Royal Guard prepared for the October 12 parade. Jaime Villanueva
The kings will be accompanied in the stands by Pedro Sánchez, President of the Government. Next to them are the presidents of the Congress and the Senate, the socialist Francina Armengol and the popular Pedro Rollán, respectively; in addition to incumbent ministers such as Defense Minister Margarita Robles or Labor and Second Vice President Yolanda Díaz. Ione Belarra, general secretary of Podemos and minister of social rights, was also present and, according to her party’s sources, adorned herself with a scarf embroidered by Palestinian women from the city of Hebron in solidarity with the Palestinian people.
Other national, regional and local authorities also take part. All the regional presidents of the PP (eleven) and those of the PSOE (three) took part in the commemorations, while the Lehendakari, Iñigo Urkullu, and the Catalan president, Pere Aragonès, were not present, as usual. The leader of the PP, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, was gathered on the podium; the PSOE spokesperson in Congress, Patxi López; the leader of Vox, Santiago Abascal, and the still speaker of the PP in the lower house, Cuca Gamarra.
This morning, the acting Defense Minister, Margarita Robles, first held a video conference with the heads of the Spanish contingents stationed abroad and, among other messages of love addressed to the various units, she also asked the troops stationed in Lebanon to “take good care of themselves” . In a message delivered to all units on Columbus Day, Robles urged them to “be careful” and told them it was “gratifying” to see their preparation, camaraderie and humanity. “If all countries had armed forces like yours, many conflicts would not exist,” he assured them. “We carry them in our hearts,” Robles also expressed in his message and wished that they celebrate this October 12th “as best they can and with all the safety measures.” This morning the government distributed a commemorative video for the national holiday.
Those who continue to chant this painful and vile slogan do so knowing the pain it causes us.
The victims of Txapote are the last thing they care about, they don’t even know their names.
But what can we expect from the example they are receiving from some of their political leaders? https://t.co/BYmMBf1fRx– Consuelo Ordóñez (@ConsuorF) October 12, 2023
Several victims of terrorism have expressed their pain and outrage that the name of the kidnapper and multiple murderer Txapote (Francisco and who many wear them on T-shirts. Here are some of the rejection tweets, including that of Consuelo Ordóñez, whose Brother Gregorio, leader of the PP in the Basque Country, killed the above-mentioned ETA terrorist in 1995. She wrote on the old Twitter network, now called Pain he is causing us. The victims of Txapote are the last thing they care about, they don’t even know their names. But what can we expect from the example they are receiving from some of their political leaders?”
PP, Ciudadanos and Vox, together at a demonstration in Barcelona against the “concessions” to the independence movement
Image of the demonstration this morning in Barcelona. Massimiliano Minocri
CLARA BLANCHAR
In Barcelona the company is Espanya i Catalans. According to the organization, the citizens’ movement (founded in 2012) gathered 10,000 people (1,000 according to the city guard) at midday for a demonstration under the motto “Enough of the concessions”. The call came five days after Catalan civil society protested against a possible amnesty law on Passeig de Gràcia. The demonstration was attended by the leaders of the PP, Ciudadanos and Vox in Catalonia.
The march took place in a festive and family atmosphere, with many demonstrators carrying Spanish flags and chanting “Puigdemont in prison” or “Long live Spain”. Among those present are families like that of Marina, originally from Galicia and living in Cerdanyola del Vallès, wearing a flag around her neck on which she has written: “Go now, Sánchez, traitor.” “This year more than ever ” outraged at the possibility that “the incumbent president will sell Spain for seven votes.” “It’s not about democracy, it’s about seven votes, about the chair in Moncloa.”
Spokesman and vice-president of Espanya i Catalans, Javier Megino, said he was pleased that Barcelona was “celebrating the Day of the Virgin of Pilar, the true national holiday of the Catalans”. Megino explained that “about twenty entities and the three constitutional parties Ciudadanos, PP and Vox” have joined the call, calling to “express their rejection of the possible assumption of the presidency of Spain, which is exposed to separatism.” , to the heirs of separatism, to the pardoned putschists and to a person who escaped justice.” Hence the call, he argued, with the motto “Enough of the concessions.”