A shocking incident in Madrid's Hortaleza neighborhood has ignited a political firestorm, as a 17-year-old of Moroccan origin is arrested for the alleged rape of a 14-year-old Spanish girl. The case has drawn fierce criticism from political leaders, who blame Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's immigration policies. Spanish national police arrested a 17-year-old minor of Moroccan origin on Sunday, accused of raping a 14-year-old Spanish girl near the reception center for unaccompanied foreign minors in Madrid's Hortaleza neighborhood. The government delegate in Madrid, Socialist Francisco Martín, confirmed the arrest of «a minor suspected of committing the crime of raping another minor in the Hortaleza neighborhood», without disclosing the nationality of either the suspect or the victim, a decision criticized by Spanish media outlets. The incident occurred late Friday night into Saturday, close to the center, which Iberian media often describe as «one of the most dangerous in Spain». A neighbor, alerted by the victim's screams, called the police. When officers arrived, they found the girl in shock inside Isabel Clara Eugenia Park, adjacent to the center, after the suspect had dragged her into a wooded area. Her lower clothing was bloodstained following what police described as a «violent sexual assault». The suspect was quickly located but tried to flee and resist arrest before being subdued. He was taken to the Family and Women's Care Unit for legal procedures, before being transferred to the juvenile detention cells of Madrid's judicial police. Political Reactions The case has sparked heated political debate. The President of the Community of Madrid, Isabel Díaz Ayuso of the People's Party (PP), accused Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez of «doubling» the number of migrant minors in the area. On Twitter, she wrote: «Every day they come more aggressively and in worse conditions, and Sánchez's government does nothing but double their numbers and abandon them while attacking regional leaders. This coincides with hundreds of thousands of adults arriving through Barajas Airport annually. This is unacceptable! Enough». PP leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo criticized what he described as the government's lack of a coherent immigration policy: «It is a policy of anything goes, with consequences for coexistence». He denounced Sánchez's request for regions to accommodate more than 3,000 minors «at a time when public resources are saturated». Feijóo added: «We have read that the government threatened regional leaders with sending the police if they did not comply. The question is: how can you send the police against regional leaders? What should be done is to send security forces to the Spanish borders to ensure safety». Vox leader Santiago Abascal went further, holding Sánchez «and all those who profit from the Islamic invasion» responsible for the crime. «She is a victim of Sánchez, of the Open Arms organization, of the bipartisan system, and of all those who profit from the Islamic invasion», he said on Twitter. The far-right leader, known for his anti-Moroccan positions, added: «This is what Pedro Sánchez brings. It is the result of the invasion sponsored by the two big parties for decades». In his view, foreign minors «rape women and girls, assault the elderly», and «boast about living at the expense of Spaniards».
