The “loose verses” (as spokesperson Montse Mínguez called them) within the PSOE who will attend rallies this Wednesday in support of Ceuta against the directives of the federal leadership are multiplying 24 hours before the call promoted by the Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces (FEMP). Despite Ferraz’s attempt to boycott the initiative of the president, María José García Pelayo, dozens of socialist mayors have already decided to ignore the explicit directive given by the party leadership not to organize or support any type of rally.
In Andalusia, more than a dozen socialist mayors have already publicly announced their presence at rallies that, in many cases, have been organized by their own town halls. Moreover, despite the instructions from the federal leadership, most of these acts of solidarity with Ceuta have been organized at 8 p.m., following the FEMP’s recommendation and adhering to its general call, despite criticism for its unilateral nature.
In the province of Seville, in municipalities such as Espartinas (which was among the first), its town hall called its residents more than a week ago, while in Cádiz the socialist mayors of Chiclana de la Frontera, Vejer de la Frontera, Castellar, or Grazalema have followed the same path. In Huelva, the PSOE has not managed to prevent rallies by its mayors in Moguer, Bonares, or Santa Olalla del Cala, while in Córdoba they have been announced in Villafranca or Adamuz.
In the Andalusian community, besides Ferraz, the regional leadership of María Jesús Montero intensified pressure on its mayors and councilors to assume the directive not to attend rallies in support of Ceuta. In fact, the Andalusian PSOE issued a statement last week demanding that the president of the FAMP, José María Bellido, PP mayor of Córdoba, retract a call “that does not have the consensus of municipalism and stop speaking on behalf of all Andalusian town halls.”
The calls and directives have been of little use, and the number of “loose verses” keeps increasing, although, in most cases, without ceasing to criticize the initiative of the FEMP president and denouncing the attempt at “instrumentalization” by the PP.
The internal rebellion already affects several communities. The mayor of León, José Antonio Díez, did not hesitate yesterday to confirm that he supported the FEMP initiative despite the direct opposition of his party. “I believe what is important here is to move away from partisanship, which some political parties reflect or engage in, and what must be demonstrated is a level of state,” he said, and the mayor of Mérida, Antonio Rodríguez Osuna, will not only participate in the event but will read a manifesto agreed upon with all other political groups.
In the Valencian Community, the main socialist town halls have chosen to call their own acts in support of Ceuta separate from the rally promoted for this Wednesday by the FEMP, which was vetoed by the PSOE itself. Thus, mayors such as those of Gandía and Sagunto, for example, have opted to hold rallies at noon, to distance themselves precisely from the FEMP’s 8 p.m. call.
Alternative acts: the same day but at a different time
The case of Gandía is striking, as the Valencian minister and leader of the Valencian socialists, Diana Morant, began her political career in this municipality. Its mayor, José Manuel Prieto, is not only one of Morant’s closest leaders but also has in his municipal group the secretary of organization of the PSPV-PSOE and the right hand of the general secretary, Vicent Mascarell. Even so, Prieto has said that “in difficult and exceptional situations like those Ceuta is experiencing,” parties can and should be “above partisanship.”
Still, the PP leader in Gandía, Víctor Soler, has criticized that his call for consensus has come to nothing, as the council rejected on Tuesday joining the FEMP rallies to promote its own institutional act that will only have the support of PSOE and Compromís.
Who has also finally avoided rebelling against the party is the mayor of Sagunto, also a socialist, Darío Moreno. The Valencian municipality will also call a rally “in solidarity” with Ceuta, but at 12 noon. Therefore, not supporting the FEMP’s, and with its own slogan: “Sagunto is with Ceuta, its people, and the defense of human rights.”
On the contrary, the Alicante town hall of Novelda, led by socialist Fran Martínez, will join the FEMP rally “as a sign of respect, solidarity, and institutional support towards the city and its citizens.” In line with the FEMP, Novelda adheres “to publicly convey the support of local administrations to Ceuta and express the solidarity of Spanish municipalities with its neighbors.” This will also be the case for Benifaió (Valencia), although the socialists of this municipality have censured that the PP has tried to “instrumentalize” the event.
Within the PSOE, they have tried to downplay the decision of the party mayors who have expressed their intention to participate in the rallies supporting Ceuta against the town halls of September 2 despite Ferraz giving direct instructions to its officials not to support them. “There are free verses, and each one will decide whether they have to be there or not… Our position is clear,” said the national spokesperson, Montse Mínguez, yesterday.
Ferraz insists that the protest is “against Pedro Sánchez” and that it was the president of the Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces who called it “unilaterally, without agreement and violating the democratic functioning” of the organization that represents local entities.
Ferraz sent a circular to all party federations stating that the PP is trying to “manipulate this humanitarian crisis” as an “element of mobilization and confrontation” to “go against” the government of Pedro Sánchez. For that reason, it asks its institutional and organic officials not to participate in the call. Although it has not succeeded everywhere and faces a growing internal rebellion.
Read more Five days of violence already in Ceuta: «A tragedy is going to happen»
