Yzabelle Bostyn
SPANISH prime minister Pedro Sanchez has called on world leaders to stop ‘Silicon Valley technocastes’ taking over as Trump comes into power.
Yesterday, Donald Trump began his second term as president of the United States backed by Silicon Valley entrepreneur Elon Musk.
The Tesla CEO has made headlines recently for meddling in European politics using his social network, X (formerly Twitter).
He was seated in a privileged spot for Trump’s inauguration ceremony, flanked by several big names including Mark Zuckerburg (CEO of Meta), Tim Cook (CEO of Apple) and Jeff Bezos (CEO of Amazon).
Political commentators noted how the tech entrepreneurs were seated in front of the administration’s own cabinet, prompting concern over their influence over Trump’s new government.
Now, Sanchez has spoken out against Trump’s attempts to ally with the American tech industry.
Speaking at an Artificial Intelligence event on Monday, he said: “This week we are seeing how the Silicon Valley ‘technocaste’ is trying to exercise absolute power over social media in order to control public discourse and as a result, government action in the west. We need to rebel and consider alternatives.”
“I’m going to make this crystal clear…in a democracy, a euro does not equal a vote. A Tweet does not equal a vote. People vote. Therefore, Europe needs to face this threat and defend democracy.”
It comes as Sanchez prepares for the World Economic Forum later this week, where he will meet with Trump over video conference.
This is not the first time the Spanish prime minister has hit out against tech giants.
On January 8, he spoke out against Elon Musk at an event marking 50 years since the death of General Franco.
He accused Musk and his allies of ‘openly attacking our institutions, inciting hatred and openly calling for people to support the heirs of nazism.’
“When you’ve spent your life under its protective veil, it’s easy to forget the enormous strengths of democracy and to let yourself be seduced by those who promise people order, security and wealth in exchange for robbing us of the most precious thing a person can have, which is the power to choose our own destiny,” he said.
Sanchez also warned against a ‘new age of authoritarianism’, fuelled by division, disinformation and hatred.
He used the anniversary, which marks the return to democracy in Spain, to remind citizens ‘the facism we thought we’d left behind is now the third biggest political force in Europe.’
“The international far-right movement that we’ve been warning about for years in Spain – which is being led in this case by the richest man on the planet, is openly attacking our institutions, inciting hatred and openly calling for people to support the heirs of nazism in Germany in the forthcoming elections that will be held in Europe’s most important economy.”
He warned ‘freedom is never won on a permanent basis’ and called on citizens to protect it.
“Lies and disinformation are the main weapons of the enemies of democracy,” he said.
“Fifty years ago, Spain began to work towards freedom, emerging from the ashes of the last dictatorship in western Europe,” he said. “Our mothers and fathers, our grandmothers and grandfathers – and we ourselves – helped forge one of the most complete and prosperous democracies on the planet, the democracy we are today. Let’s celebrate it and let’s use it to build another 50 years of progress and freedom.”
His speech marked the start of a year-long programme of events to celebrate half a century since the death of General Franco and the return to democracy.
However, conservative party PP and far-right party Vox, both boycotted the event, accusing Sanchez of using it to distract from corruption allegations.
“We won’t take part in this absurd necrophilia that divides Spaniards,” PP said in a statement.
