Moncloa raises optimism despite Puigdemont's demands and Page will go to the Federal Committee as a voice of critics

Among the so-called emojis that exist to reply to messages with faces, there is one with a zipper as a mouth. It is the one that is most used these days in the PSOE. Closed mouth. Silence. “We must be discreet and prudent,” repeat the socialist ministers. “The negotiation must be protected so that everything goes well,” say sources involved in it. But although the threat of a repeat election is still on the table, the socialists do not want to send the ballot box emoji with the ballot. Although they do not have 100% certainty, they remain confident that there are more options for investiture than for elections.

“The president overflows with optimism,” government sources confirm about Sánchez's position on the investiture. «He has full confidence and we have full confidence in him. “He is very stubborn,” say socialist sources.. He himself signed it from Brussels. It had to be in the European capital because on Tuesday at the presentation of the pact with Sumar no questions were allowed. “The relevant thing, the important thing about what happened yesterday [due to the signing of the PSOE-Sumar pact] is that we have the investiture getting closer and closer”. He made no mention of Carles Puigdemont's demand to recognize the “Catalan nation” in a parallel agreement to the amnesty.

“Although it is established that this is difficult, I see few possibilities of repetition because Puigdemont would lose a great opportunity,” state government sources.. «It will be forced and an agreement will be reached. With a lot of small print,” socialist sources diagnose.

Within that “discretion” and “prudence”, however, there are brushstrokes that show the conviction in Sánchez's hard core that it is possible that “there will be a government.”. “What the principle of reality of the polls marks is that the support of other political formations is needed, which I want and I hope it can be achieved in the coming days,” said María Jesús Montero, Minister of Finance and one of the negotiators. of the PSOE. A temporary limitation, “in the coming days”, which shows the belief in the PSOE and Sumar that their Government pact can precipitate others “in a cascade” with the nationalists. Also with Junts.

Sánchez himself considers that among the “mandates of citizens” on July 23 is that “there be no electoral repetition.”

” We keep working”

“We prefer everything to be discreet” is the mantra. Bunkerization to safeguard that optimism and scare away other elections. «The negotiations to obtain parliamentary support continue, they have not stopped. We continue working, technical meetings,” say government sources.

«All agreements, especially if they are complex, require work, time, patience and discretion. And that's what we're doing, working hard, being patient and continuing to move forward,” said Félix Bolaños, Minister of the Presidency and another of the negotiators.

In the midst of this rhythm of silence, waiting and uncertainty within the PSOE, there are those who do not need to wait for the fine print of a possible pact on amnesty. Emiliano García-Page, president of Castilla-La Mancha and the only socialist with an absolute majority, raises his voice in a sustained manner, maintaining a position against negotiating with the nationalists.

Page stands against Puigdemont's demands for amnesty

“I know what Puigdemont is asking for and I know that it is intolerable,” he stated in relation to the demands for amnesty and for Catalonia to be a nation.. Page, with the authority that his electoral result gives him, stands as the voice of those who do not agree with the transfers to a fugitive from Justice.

The regional leader will attend the Federal Committee this Saturday in which Sánchez will explain his pact with Sumar and where a consultation will be called for the bases to rule.. A vote that avoids the amnesty will not mention it. Page will be in Toulouse on Thursday and Friday presiding over the Assembly of European Wine Regions and on Saturday he will delegate this work to his Minister of Agriculture in order to be able to attend the socialist meeting in Madrid, his team confirms, to provide his vision of the political situation. .

“My thesis is that I do not want Spain to be waiting for a remote control from Waterloo and that in this country they make us all dance a political sardana,” was Page's reflection.. Some words that Puigdemont took as a mockery: “Let Emiliano know that if he chooses the Empordà style instead of the Selvatano style, I will not take it into account,” was his joke on social networks about the allusion to the “political sardana.”