It was one of the most hotly-anticipated images from today's opening of the new Spanish Congress: the meeting of prime minister Pedro Sánchez and imprisoned leader of ERC Oriol Junqueras. In the end, it was only the briefest of greetings. The second time ERC's leader left his seat to go and vote for the new speaker, the two politicians exchanged a few words. Junqueras said "we have to speak". Sánchez said "don't worry". It could barely have been shorter, but it was still more than enough to scandalise the opposition and force the government to offer an explanation.
PP's secretary general, Teodoro García Egea, quoted the conversation on Twitter. Referring to Sunday's elections to local councils, the parliaments of some of Spain's autonomous communities and the European Parliament, he said that a vote for PSOE is to tell ERC not to worry. "The only thing which can worry Junqueras and those on trial for a coup is a vote for the PP. #InternationalDisgrace", he wrote.
The controversy grew to such an extent that sources from the Moncloa government palace felt the need to offer an explanation for Sánchez's comments. According to them, Junqueras had said a couple of other things to the prime minister. Among these remarks, he apparently said he wouldn't shake Sánchez's hand to avoid putting him in a difficult position, and it was in response to this remark that the PM told him not to worry.