PRIME Minister Pedro Sanchez hit back at Elon Musk after the billionaire appeared to criticise Spain’s plan to legalise thousands of undocumented migrants.
In a post on X, Sanchez told the tech boss on Wednesday: “Mars can wait. Humanity can’t.”
Sanchez’s quip came after Musk retweeted a post claiming the Spanish leader’s plan was intended to expand his voter base. The tech boss had captioned the claim with a one-word reaction: “Wow.”
The exchange followed Spain’s announcement earlier this week that it would grant legal status to roughly 500,000 undocumented migrants.
The move aims to integrate workers into the formal economy and addressing labour shortages in sectors such as agriculture, healthcare, and hospitality, the government said.
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Sanchez’s remark appeared to reference Musk’s investments in SpaceX and his longstanding ambitions to colonise Mars, suggesting that he prioritises space exploration over pressing human issues on Earth.
Musk has increasingly used his social media platform to criticise or mock left-leaning political leaders and policies in Europe and the United States, often weighing in on debates around migration, regulation and free speech.
In several recent posts, he has amplified claims that progressive governments are using immigration policy to reshape electorates, drawing sharp backlash from officials who accuse him of oversimplifying complex social issues.
Sanchez’s government argues the regularisation plan is primarily economic, designed to bring hundreds of thousands of people who are already living and working in Spain into the legal system.
Officials say the policy will allow newly documented migrants to pay taxes, access contracts and receive labour protections, while helping businesses fill persistent vacancies in key sectors.
The proposal also includes safeguards intended to prevent exploitation and improve oversight of working conditions, framing the move as both a labour market reform and a human rights measure.
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