Last July, a case occurred Santos Cerdan It barely appeared, considering what is known today, although the last secretary of the organization was already in prison. Those who were already admitted were released pending trial Jose Luis Abalos and Koldo GarciaOn charges of committing corruption crimes. Beyond the economic dimension, the UCO revelations highlighted facts that were radically at odds with one of the main banners of the SWP, namely feminism. Now what is being called into question is another step, which is strength and tolerance when the behavior of any of the leaders deviates from that spirit.
detained Pedro Sanchez He said on Tuesday in his interview with TVE’s Gemma Nyirja that Abalos was a “very unknown person” to him. The president cannot allow Spaniards, especially his voters, to suspect that his trusted man who did so much to bring him to power was behaving with him as shown in audio recordings with his advisor Koldo. But there is a new crisis that puts salt on this wound. It actually happened in July, when a certain name was given Paco SalazarMoncloa’s advisor has been removed from his responsibilities after several of his subordinates reported “inappropriate behaviour”, it has been revealed. eldiario.es.
Who is Paco Salazar? Until that day, he had been a very important man for the PSOE and for Sanchez, from his narrowest circle. He was born in Montillano (where he serves as mayor), in Seville, in 1968 (age 57), and has been a member of the party since 1992. He graduated in technical agricultural engineering at the University of Seville, also obtained a master’s degree in environmental management at the Institute of Environmental Research and completed his training with a degree in political science from UNED. Since 2000, he has held responsibilities in institutions or city councils, reaching Congress in 2019 and until 2023.
Salazar is one of the other men who participated in Sánchez’s strategy to return to the position of party secretary general, an effort that was rewarded years later by running the Office of Analysis and Studies in the Prime Minister’s Office. The PSOE Federal Committee convened in the already mentioned July and was to be appointed Secretary for Analysis and Electoral Work of the party, but the charges were announced. Alleged sexual harassment and abuse of power against fellow socialists. Forced or not, Salazar gave up everything just hours after the scandal came to light.
Feraz opened the procedures “on well-known news,” stressing that “there are no complaints on any of the activated channels.” In those hours, Pilar AlegríaThe Minister of Education stated that Salazar is a “comprehensive” person whom she has known for a long time. “I speak from my own experience,” he insisted, “He has always seemed to me a perfectly upright fellow.” Months later, just one month ago, on November 4th, Article 14 He posted a photo of Alegria eating with Salazar at an Italian restaurant in Madrid. Last Tuesday, after new revelations, Alegria, as the government’s official spokeswoman, could only describe her actions as “vomiting.”
What are these discoveries? Back in eldiario.esWritten by journalists José Enrique Munrosi and Esther Palomera. The investigation offers very serious quotes: “He raised a fly in your face and fellatio.” This phrase appears in one of the writings submitted by women who worked under Salazar’s leadership, but the information refers not only to him, but also to the party, as these accusations have disappeared from the anti-harassment channel of the PSOE. One of these women wrote in her complaint: “I worked for Paco Salazar in Moncloa and what they say is true.”
With Salazar, it emerges from these stories, that the work environment was “unbreathable” and a feeling of lack of protection. According to the aforementioned media, Ferraz intended to postpone the operation once Salazar’s withdrawal from the struggle was formalized. “His behavior oozed misogyny and saliva in every comment disguised as a joke. (…) His language was hypersexual even when he said good morning.” There were some common characteristics among those affected, where it was different with men: women and youth. “Show me the neck you are wearing today,” he pointed to the last of them. Allusions to materialism were the norm.
Did Sanchez or Alegria herself know this “personal” part of Salazar? Was he “too anonymous”? PSOE spokesperson Montse Minguezstating that the file is “not closed”. The party claims that there was a flaw in the system that would have caused complaints to not reach the Anti-Harassment Office. System failure. Voices in the Socialist Workers Party demand that the case be presented to the Public Prosecution. The false lockdown only exacerbated the crisis and dragged it to the highest levels. Salazar is out, but the complainants should know that what happened will not fall on deaf ears and that their party has their back.