Madrid's regional president, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, criticized Pedro Sánchez's government on Saturday for lack of administrative support during Dos de Mayo institutional events. No central government members were invited for the second year in a row. Ayuso warned that Madrid 'will not let itself be controlled by anyone'.
At the Real Casa de Correos in Puerta del Sol, Ayuso delivered a speech expressing her "concern for the situation Spain is going through", particularly the "little administrative support" Madrid receives from a government that "politicizes everything". "How many opportunities are we losing in these circumstances?", she asked.
The president compared the current situation to the 1808 uprising against Napoleonic troops, stating that "Madrid society is another army that, without commanders or badges, walks united" in defense of its freedom. "Whoever tries to control the region will again face a tough and dignified response", she warned, alluding to Dos de Mayo.
Alberto Núñez Feijóo, present at the event, criticized the absence of central government members, saying a "responsible politician" must "accompany the regions". The Ministry of Defense again denied the military parade and Patrulla Águila display. Ayuso lamented: "While we wait for the Army to return to its square".
During the event, Ayuso awarded the Grand Crosses of the Order of Dos de Mayo to various personalities and institutions, including Vuelta Ciclista a España, boycotted last year by protests. The act concluded with a performance by Paloma San Basilio.