The number two of the Galician PSOE tried to convince a victim not to denounce the socialist leader of Lugo

Méndez, as these same sources explain, “was informed” of what was happening for the last few months. The former mayor of Lugo, where the PSdeG concentrates much of the power in the region, chose at that time to try to minimize the incident so that it did not reach public opinion. An attempt which did not help much, because after Tomé did not stop his attitude towards the victim, the socialist activist decided to address the media, in particular to the program “Code 10” on Cuatro, to denounce what was happening.

The multitude of positions that Besteiro and Méndez have held in the province, both at the head of the Provincial Council of Lugo before Tomé’s arrival, make them known for their activism and their “great knowledge” of what is happening there. “They lack nothing,” says a regional official with whom this newspaper spoke, who confirms that the situation of harassment on the part of the provincial leader has reached the ears of the Regional Executive. This is where Lara Méndez, with whom ABC tried to contact several times This week, without obtaining a response to messages asking him to speak about his role in the affair, he chose to meet one of the victims.

Far from applying the protocols allegedly established for these cases, which did not work either in the complaints against Paco Salazar, nor Antonio Navarro nor Tomé himself, José Ramón Gómez-Besteiro’s number two tried to convince the victim to the damage that could be caused to itself and to the party an indictment of these characteristics. It should be remembered that the PSdeG has been plunged into an internal crisis in recent years, with several changes of leaders, which have led it to hit rock bottom at the level of representation in the Galician parliament. So, they explain, Méndez tried to put out a new fire early, without much success.

The victim met by the deputy secretary general of the PSdeG ensures that you have saved messages both with her and with the regional general secretary, a man of the greatest confidence of Pedro Sánchez, in whom it would be shown that not only did they do nothing to help him, but they also tried to protect the mayor of Monforte de Lemos, who resigned this Wednesday from his organic functions and from the Provincial Council, but remained at the head of the council.

Lara Méndez, after learning of the accusations against her party colleague, He assured that what he learned disgusted him. A few hours later, after promising a “strong statement”, the PSdeG assured that “Tomé did what he had to do”, in reference to his resignation, thus avoiding it being the organization itself which removes him from all his positions. In fact, the management led by Bestiero and Méndez waited for the mayor, who in the morning had denied the facts and even threatened to take legal action, to make a statement before issuing such a statement. “As of today, José Tomé no longer has any links with the Socialist Party,” confirms the text sent by the Galician socialists at the end of the day.

Ferraz knows

Within the federal executive They already know that Méndez didn’t just try to hide the events that occurred in his province, and which had a trusted person as the main protagonist, but he also tried to convince the victim not to report it. And in at least one of the complaints already received by Ferraz internally, which is added to the cases already made public previously, the complainant asserts this. The victim responded with a “yes” in the box asking if anyone else knew. The woman directly designated the number two of the PSdeG as the knowledgeable person.

Other women who had to suffer harassment from the general secretary of the PSOE of Lugo and then president of the Provincial Council, a position from which he will be relieved in the coming days, also plan to inform the leadership of Pedro Sánchez that in addition to Méndez, there is also the general secretary, José Ramón. Gómez-Besteiro, was aware of the facts. An extreme that this newspaper has not yet been able to confirm, but given the proximity to his right hand, as attested by several officials at the regional level, everything suggests that Lara Méndez actually shared this information with Besteiro at some point.

Ferraz’s sources ask for “caution” and assure that, when they have all the elements to make a decision, they will make it without worrying about “who should fall.” It is worth remembering that a few days ago Sánchez renounced Salazar’s right-hand man, Antonio Hernández, precisely for covering up the harassment of his friend. In the Galician case, whose leader of Equality was one of the harshest in the last meeting following the “Salazar case”, it seems difficult for responsibility to intensify, because it would be a hard blow for the party. But now There are several critical voices towards Lara Méndez.