The Spanish government emphasized that social media platforms should remain neutral and avoid interference in the political matters of other nations. This statement came after Elon Musk, CEO of X (formerly Twitter), made controversial comments regarding a report on foreign nationals jailed for rape in Spain.
Spokesperson Pilar Alegria addressed the issue on Tuesday, responding to a question about Musk’s involvement in Spanish politics. She affirmed that platforms should act with “absolute neutrality” and refrain from influencing political discussions. This remark follows a public spat between Musk and European leaders, including UK opposition leader Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron.
Musk, who is poised to advise President-elect Donald Trump, made headlines on Sunday when he commented “Wow” while reposting an article from the account Visegrad24. The article, originally published by the Spanish newspaper La Razon, detailed rape convictions in Catalonia, revealing that 91% of those convicted were foreigners. Musk’s repost and comment sparked a political debate in Spain.
The data highlighted by the article, referencing figures from Catalan authorities, indicated that out of the 24 people convicted or on remand for rape charges in the region, 22 were non-Spanish citizens. The article, published in late September 2023, drew significant attention to the composition of crime among foreign nationals.
Catalonia’s Socialist regional leader, Salvador Illa, responded by condemning Musk’s actions without directly naming him. “We can’t allow democracy to fall into the hands of tech billionaires allied with the far right,” Illa declared at an event in Barcelona, underscoring that Catalonia’s name should not be used to spread “hate speech.”
In contrast, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez rejected any connection between immigration and crime rates. Sanchez, who has faced criticism from the far-right party Vox for his immigration policies, reiterated that “foreigners are neither better nor worse than Spaniards” when it comes to criminality. He also pointed out that Spanish crime rates have remained stable or even declined in recent years, with a 2023 Interior Ministry report concluding that immigration does not significantly impact crime levels.