The PSOE admits "shame" for the Mediator case but shifts the focus to the PP

The spokesperson for the PSOE and Minister of Education, Pilar Alegría, has admitted "shame" for the Mediator case, in which a former socialist deputy expelled from the party has been arrested, and has asked Alberto Núñez Feijóo to act "with the same forcefulness" in the face of possible cases of corruption in the PP.

In a press conference held at the PSOE headquarters in Ferraz, Alegría said that as soon as she learned of the involvement of former socialist deputy Juan Bernardo Fuentes Curbelo in the Mediator case, more than a week ago, they expelled him from the party and demanded that he hand over the act.

Shortly after, the former deputy for Las Palmas was arrested in the framework of this case, which investigates a possible fraud in the management of subsidies linked to food products, and in which, according to investigators, prostitution services were contracted to close the deals.

"For this party, these types of behaviors that we are learning about embarrass and shame us and do not represent us at all. As soon as we have information of this type, we act with absolute transparency and forcefulness. We would also like the PP to act with the same forcefulness in similar cases," said Alegría.

Specifically, she commented that the leader of the PP, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, attended a meal this Sunday in Ibiza with the president of the Consell, Vicent Marí, who is "charged" with the awarding of a contract for the recording of a promotional video of the island in 2020 without publicity or public competition.

"The PP has tried to prevent the citizens of Ibiza from knowing that their president is charged and to request the (judicial) statements of this gentleman once the municipal and regional elections have passed," added Alegría, who believes that Feijóo's visit to Ibiza would be a "magnificent opportunity" for him to exercise "transparency" with this case.

On the other hand, she commented that she is not "aware" that the arrested former socialist deputy attended a dinner with other colleagues from the parliamentary group organized by the intermediary who gives the name to the Mediator case, Marcos Antonio Navarro Tacoronte.

And she has disassociated this matter from the work of the Canarian president and PSOE leader in the islands, Ángel Víctor Torres.

"The management that the PSOE of the Canary Islands has been carrying out with President Ángel Víctor Torres in this legislature is a management known and recognized by all Canarians, honest, nothing has to do with what we are learning these days."

Socialist sources have explained that they will continue to act with "forcefulness" if they learn more details of the judicial investigation that involves other socialists with the Mediator case and have rejected the possibility of conducting an investigation from the party itself.

In addition, these same sources acknowledge that this case may tarnish the campaign of the still Minister of Health, Carolina Darias, who is the PSOE candidate for Mayor of the City Council of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, but they hope that it will not have electoral repercussions in the municipal and regional elections in May.