MADRID – Alejo Vidal-Quadras, former president of the Catalan PP and former leader of Vox, 78, was shot on Thursday. He was taken to hospital with injuries, as police sources confirmed to RTVE.
Vidal-Quadras was shot in the face at around 1.30 pm on Thursday in Núñez de Balboa Street, in Madrid’s Salamanca district. He was taken to hospital conscious. He suffered a gunshot wound to his lower jaw, as explained by health authorities. As TVE has learned, the former politician was shot while trying to start his car. They may have been waiting for him.
Police sources have confirmed that the investigation into the shooting is being conducted by the homicide unit. Furthermore, no arrests have been made at this time. They emphasise that they have not yet ruled out any hypothesis about the motive for the crime.
Perpetrators on the run
Authorities are looking for two people. One of whom was driving the motorcycle and wearing a black helmet, according to sources cited by Efe. They add that the weapon used is a 9-millimeter Parabellum pistol. The officers do take into account that the perpetrator fired the shots on the instructions of a professional.
Alejo Vidal-Quadras
The 78-year-old Vidal-Quadras, who was also vice-president of the European Parliament from 2004 to 2007, left the PP in 2014 due to “political differences” and signed for Vox, which was founded in 2014 by José Ortega Lara.
Quadras was shot just after he spoke out strongly on X against the amnesty agreement between the Spanish government and the Catalan separatists. “Our nation ceases to exist as a liberal democracy and becomes a totalitarian tyranny,” he wrote.
Comments
The government’s acting president, Pedro Sánchez, conveyed his solidarity and wishes for a speedy recovery. He said he is confident that “the investigation will clarify the facts as quickly as possible and that those responsible will be arrested.”
Quiero trasladar mi solidaridad y deseos de pronta recuperación a Alejo Vidal-Quadras.
Todo mi afecto en estos momentos para él y para su familia.
Confiamos en que la investigación pueda esclarecer cuanto antes los hechos y se detenga a los responsables.
— Pedro Sánchez (@sanchezcastejon) November 9, 2023
The president of the PP, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, asked for a “rapid investigation to clarify what happened and to make the perpetrators accountable.” At the start of an appearance at party headquarters in Genoa Feijóo said: “We stand in solidarity with his family and we hope he stays alive.” Other politicians and administrators also responded and expressed their condolences.
