Eurovision has threatened RTVE with “punitive fines” if the Spanish commentators, Tony Aguilar and Julia Varela again mention Gaza’s conflict during the broadcast of the grand final tonight.
In a letter signed by two high positions of the UU, the corporation warns that commentators must comply with the festival regulations during their issuance and not make “political statements that may compromise the neutrality of the contest.” According to the letter, to which the country has had access, “the figures of victims have no place in an apolitical entertainment program whose motto, united by music, embodies our commitment to unity.”
RTVE has responded to the threat of Eurovision in statements to El País. In the first place, the public chain shows its surprise that “it is a conflict for the fact of asking for respect for human rights and peace and justice, in a comment that made it clear that it was not addressed to any particular country.” In second, RTVE points out an apparent contradiction of Eurovision, which “does not consider political act that the delegation of Israel underlines the condition of its candidate as a victim October 7, 2023 ″.
On the other hand, RTVE confirms to El País that the Spanish commentators of Eurovision read the message “coordinated with the chain.” Tonight, a gesture will be made in relation to this communicative shock “from the beginning of the broadcast.”
During the broadcast of Eurovision’s second semifinal last Thursday, commentators Tony Aguilar and Julia Varela made a paragraph in the introduction of Israel’s performance to remember that the dead in Gaza ascend 50,000 people, 13,000 of them children, and also alluded to the proposal of Spain, Slovenia, Ireland and Iceland to discuss Israel’s participation in the festival.
The Grande of Eurovision is celebrated tonight, with Israel positioned among the favorites. The performances of Israel and Spain will almost follow each other in the first half of the gala: Israel acts in fourth place and Spain, in sixth.
