MADRID, Spain – High-profile Spanish politician Alejandro Vidal-Quadras was the target of a shooting in central Madrid on Thursday, suffering facial injuries. According to the hospital where he sought medical assistance, the injuries did not pose a threat to his life.
Local law enforcement revealed that Vidal-Quadras was accosted around 1:30 p.m. near his residence. At the time of his transportation to the hospital by emergency services, he was conscious. The motive behind the shooting remains unknown. Eye-witness accounts suggest that the suspect fled from the crime scene on a motorbike and wore a black helmet.
A medical report was released by the Gregorio Marañón Hospital in Madrid four hours after the shooting. The gunshot wound fractured Vidal-Quadras’ jawbone, which necessitates surgical intervention. The 78-year-old was in a stable condition and not in danger.
Vidal-Quadras is a seasoned member of Spain’s right-wing political scene, having long-term ties with the country’s conservative Popular Party. There, he served as a regional leader in Catalonia and worked as a European Parliament member. After three decades, he disassociated from the party when he fell out of favor with then-Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy.
Following his separation, he became instrumental in the formation of the far-right Vox party. However, he left Vox after an unsuccessful campaign for a European lawmaker seat in 2014. Currently, there have been no arrests, and the incident is under investigation.
Vidal-Quadras’ political career includes serving as a vice president for the European Parliament and partaking in the delegation to the former Soviet republics of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan. Despite having retired from active politics, he maintained a public persona as a media commentator and columnist. There are yet to be any indications of a political motive behind the attack.