Radio show prank calls Spanish PM

SPAIN’S acting Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy was targeted by pranksters working for a Catalan radio show on January 20, when they called the premier pretending to be Carles Puigdemont, incumbent President of the Generalitat of Catalonia.  

DJs from the show, which is called El mati i la mare que el va parir (literal meaning ‘the morning and the mother who bore you’), called the Spanish leader´s office twice before being connected to Mr Rajoy, who is currently embroiled in a political deadlock following the election of December 20. 

The Carles Puigdemont impersonator made some small talk with the Prime Minister, reminding him of how the pair had first become acquainted during Puigdemont´s term as mayor of Girona, before requesting a personal meeting with him.    

To the prankster´s amazement, the leader of the People´s Party accepted their request, telling them to call back on January 25 to confirm a date but that he could have “a very empty diary” for the coming week, depending on whether he was able to successfully form a government.  

Radio host Carles Perez then revealed his true identity, admitting that the show´s producers had not expected Mr Rajoy and his office to fall for the prank. 

On realizing he had been tricked, the Prime Minister is said to have been somewhat crestfallen, telling Mr Perez “You all do what you want, but this is not serious.”

Mr Perez and the impersonator thanked the Spanish leader for being a good sport, before hanging up the call. 

The prank call could have worked out quite differently given that the real Carles Puigdemont is a radically secessionist Catalan leader viewed by some as a rebel since his public refusal to swear loyalty to Spain, and its King. 

Referring to the Spanish government in a speech in 2013, he echoed a Spanish journalist who was executed under Francisco Franco´s dictatorship, saying “the invaders will be expelled from Catalonia.”