The Supreme Court of Spain confirmed an eight-year and nine-month prison sentence for security guard Manuel Murillo, who threatened to murder Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez in a WhatsApp group. These threats were made in response to the exhumation of dictator Francisco Franco’s remains, reflecting Murillo’s strong disagreement with the political situation.

Murillo was part of a WhatsApp group named ‘Terrassa por España’ where he expressed his hostile sentiments regarding Sánchez. The messages, which included explicit threats to kill the Prime Minister, were reported by a local Vox party leader. Authorities arrested Murillo in September twenty eighteen, seizing multiple firearms, including prohibited weapons.

The National Court initially sentenced him to seven and a half years in prison, but the Appeals Court later increased the sentence by fifteen months. Despite Murillo’s defence claiming his messages were mere ‘narcissistic fantasies’, the Supreme Court found reasonable grounds to consider them as serious proposals for homicide, especially in light of his access to weapons and training.

The ruling underscores the seriousness of threatening political leaders and highlights concerns about political violence in Spain. The situation remains a topic of public discussion as the country navigates its political landscape.