Pedro Sánchez was wrong in his characterisation of his power in Spain's attempts to extradite Catalan president Carles Puigdemont the acting prime minister admitted this Thursday after the criticism he received yesterday. "The truth is that I wasn't precise," he admitted today. He says that what he meant to say is that his government will give its full support to the judicial branch as it works for the extradition of the president in exile.
In an interview with La Sexta this morning, Pedro Sánchez noted that "the nomination depends on the government of Spain, but the prosecution service is independent". He attributed his mistake to "many hours in front of a microphone and a screen" during campaigning for this Sunday's general election. "Sometimes you're not precise", he said, for example in "expressions in electoral debates", but that he has always respected the public prosecution service's independence. "What the government of Spain commits to is helping them return to Spain and be held to account," he said.
As for the response from the UK over the arrest warrant against Clara Ponsatí, the prime minister wanted to clarify that "it wasn't the British justice system", but the police. He also emphasised that it in the end they withdrew their initial description of it being "disproportionate", simply asking for "more information on the sentence". He said his government has received an apology from the UK through its ambassador.