Sánchez asks the international community not to remain silent "not one more minute" in the face of wars in Ukraine and the Middle East

The President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, has urged the international community "not to remain silent not one more minute in the face of the massacre turned, unfortunately, into routine" in Ukraine and the Middle East. He said this on Monday at the closing ceremony of the 2024 Vanguardia Awards of the well-known Catalan newspaper, which distinguished in the International category the widow of Russian dissident Alexei Navalni - who died in a Siberian prison last February 16 -, Yulia Navalnaya, at a gala held in Barcelona attended by, among others, the President of Congress, Francina Armengol; and the President of the Generalitat, Salvador Illa; along with the Second Vice President of the Government and Minister of Labor, Yolanda Díaz.

"And if the international community entrenches itself in its silence, our voice will be heard louder to defend international legality and peace," he added. Sánchez also recalled that next October 7 will mark one year since the start of the conflict in Gaza and lamented that, 12 months later "the war not only does not stop but is spreading to Lebanon in an escalation of enormous gravity."

The head of the Executive has assured that "the spiral of devastation in the area is unbearable," and has explicitly asked not to normalize the death of innocent civilians, as well as to rebel against the systematic questioning of international humanitarian law. "It is time to say enough. Spain will continue fighting to end the war in Ukraine and also in the Middle East," he added.

Sánchez also expressed "the immense honor" it has been for him to present the 2024 Vanguardia International Award to Yulia Navalnaya and remembered dissident Navalni as a brave man committed to democracy in Russia. "I am convinced that sooner or later a new generation will rise" in Russia that will overthrow the supposed parliamentary system led by Russian President Vladimir Putin, he added.

Sánchez argued that it is no coincidence that Putin's Russia "is one of the biggest sources of global disinformation that poisons public debate and breaks coexistence," and assured that a hoax or false information runs up to seven times faster than truthful and verified information.

"We live, therefore, under the ruthless attack of lies and enemies of democracy do not respect any rules." In this regard, he urged taking a step forward and defending democracy with the strength of reason and law, as well as taking sides in defending free press internationally.