The departure of Juan Carlos I: an unexpected lifesaver for Pablo Iglesias

When the crisis deepens and the life of ordinary people becomes more difficult every day, with its chain of diseases, impoverishment, unemployment and hunger knocking at the door, the Ombudsman, Chieftain, Warlord or Great Wazir, cannot resign. It would be cowardly and also not well seen. But if he is there only as a figurehead, then for dignity he must leave. The truth is that Pablo Iglesias, who has a seat in the Government because of the fluke in variable geometry imposed on Pedro Sánchez to become president at La Moncloa, should have done so weeks ago.

The rank and file of Podemos and a vociferous sector of public opinion were crying out for it: if the president of the executive branch ignores you; if your proposals that you promised in all the electoral campaigns fall on deaf ears; if you have to swallow toads smiling at Americans to whom you promised almost a new Vietnam; if you have to bow down before the monarch and prostrate yourself repentantly before the cardinal's cassocks in purple red; if you rub shoulders, out of necessity, with the financial elite; if you accept the European bailout that has been imposed on us in Brussels; if you admit that your president offers billions of euros to the employers to guarantee the solvency of the companies; if you have to do all this, Minister Iglesias of 2030, then the time has come to resign. 

Pablo Iglesias and his deputy quartet of government members had a hard time justifying their iron grip on government seats. It is true that the salaries are very appetizing, that the new standard of living, the cars, the family maids, the festive invitations have to be paid, but the political ethic - something that seems to still exist - demanded that he resign and walk out the big door. 

And here comes the sudden departure of Juan Carlos I, a life-saver in time. The rank and file and voters of Podemos look the other way; they file their resignations and become enraged in attacks, more or less successful, against the monarchical institution. The myth of the Republic is resurrected as Freedom guiding the people by Eugène Délacroix. And Pablo Iglesias becomes the tribune of the university barricades. For this time he has been saved; there will be no more resignations. A plate of lentils was enough.