The former president of the Generalitat de Catalunya, Artur Mas, has compared ERC's lead candidate for the general elections, Gabriel Rufián, with the Brazilian forward for Real Madrid Vinícius Júnior, and has maintained that both are "people who live off provocation and conflict."
Mas has considered that the attitude of Gabriel Rufián in the Congress of Deputies has hindered understanding between ERC and Junts in Madrid, and has stated that his behavior "has not helped at all."
"When you live off provocation and conflict, you cannot expect others to approach you later to do things together. There must be a minimum of fair play, and when it doesn't exist, it's not that personal relationships break down, but that all trust deteriorates and you only look at each other askance," the former convergent leader maintained.
Mas argues that there is a lack of "trust, consensus, and possibilities to work together"
Artur Mas added that members of Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya (ERC) "would have liked to have had a different attitude" towards Junts, because, in his opinion, "they are people who have other profiles, which are more interesting for Catalonia."
"What a shame that certain people do not contribute to creating climates of more trust, consensus, and possibilities to work together, despite the differences you may have with others, which are legitimate and necessary," he added.
Following the simile with Vinícius Júnior, whom he defined as "a good player," Mas pointed out that Gabriel Rufián "does his job well" as a politician, although he questioned "what vision of the country" he has.
"If you have a vision for the country, you truly love it and want to defend it in all circumstances and conditions, you look up, you flee from daily conflict and provocation, and you must build bridges. If you even dynamite bridges among your own, then don't complain," concluded the former president of the Generalitat de Catalunya.
ERC responds and accuses Mas of generating conflict with cuts
The general secretary of ERC, Elisenda Alamany, has responded to Artur Mas's words and has asked for "fewer little lessons for ERC."
"The one who generated conflict - and suffering - with the most brutal and severe cuts to public services was not Gabriel Rufián, president, it was you," she wrote in a message on X.
In the same vein, the number two on ERC's list for 29N, Mireia Ingla, stated: "Handing out Catalan identity cards with moral superiority and high doses of classism. The usual suspects doing the usual."