The Government turns the page and considers the controversy over the absence of Pedro Sánchez at Pope Francis' funeral on Saturday at the Vatican to be appeased. In La Moncloa, they believe that the only "real" meeting that took place was between Donald Trump and Volodimir Zelenski, and that Spain was "more than well represented," with the King and Queen at the forefront. Therefore, they see "zero" wear and tear in the decision for the President of the Government not to attend the farewell of the mortal remains of Jorge Mario Bergoglio. "No problem at all," they decisively conclude in Sánchez's team.
The image of Trump and Zelenski sitting together in a secluded area of St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican to talk quietly was the most striking of the day, but there was more. For example, the meeting between the U.S. President and Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, with whom he held a meeting to foster closer ties. Or the exchange between Roberta Metsola and Giorgia Meloni. Or the greeting between Felipe VI and the top U.S. leader, who was seated just one chair away during the funeral.
All these images raised doubts about Sánchez's absence: why did he not attend this sort of high-level international mini-summit, surrounded by leaders of maximum influence, if it is a scenario where he usually performs well? Why did he miss the opportunity, for example, to hint to his European counterparts the need to move towards a "joint" solution to ensure the EU's defensive autonomy?
"The President of the Government did not attend because we believe that the country was more than well represented by the King and Queen. It is worth remembering that one of the main missions of the Monarchy in our system is precisely representation in these kinds of forums," sources from La Moncloa tell this newspaper, emphasizing that a Spanish representation led by King Felipe and Queen Letizia cannot be considered "insufficient" in any way.
Furthermore, they add, "to think that leaders are going to start debating substantive matters in a side conversation at a funeral shows little understanding of how these things work." "The only meeting was between Trump and Zelenski. The rest were brief greeting photos, as is logical," adds another member of the Government. "Real negotiations never happen in front of cameras," they conclude.
The President of the Government did not explain the reason for his absence, but the Second Vice President, Yolanda Díaz, stated that it was impossible for him to attend: if the Head of State goes, she affirmed, "Pedro Sánchez cannot go." "Therefore, it is a matter of strict diplomatic protocol, and it is normal," she added. However, in 2005, when Pope John Paul II passed away, both José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, then Prime Minister, and King Juan Carlos I attended the funeral at the Vatican.
On Saturday, the King and Queen were accompanied by the Government's Deputy Prime Ministers María Jesús Montero and Yolanda Díaz, as well as the Minister of the Presidency, Félix Bolaños, who described the greeting between Felipe VI and President Trump as normal: "Just like there were greetings with other world leaders." They were also joined by the opposition leader, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, invited by the Government, and the Spanish Ambassador to the Holy See, Isabel Celáa.