The Socialist Party of Lanzarote has publicly demanded that Coalición Canaria and the Partido Popular immediately condemn the mayor of Arrecife, Yonathan de León, and the CC spokesperson in the City Council, Echedey Eugenio, for the very serious verbal attacks directed at the PSOE's members and electorate in recent days.
From the PSOE, they point out that "during the last municipal Plenary, Yonathan de León went so far as to suggest that those who vote for the Socialist Party have “intrinsic” criminal behaviors linked to sexual abuse in brothels, statements that have caused deep outrage inside and outside the party. Far from disassociating himself, Echedey Eugenio publicly supported these words, contributing to fueling a discourse of hatred and defamation unprecedented in island politics."
The socialists denounce that "PP and CC are promoting a hate campaign based on hoaxes, personal attacks and defamations against the socialist membership, without differing in anything from the ultra discourse that is making its way in other territories." “They have become the white label of the extreme right in Lanzarote. And they are doing it with full awareness of what they are playing at,” the socialists warn.
“What they have done is not a slip. It is a frontal attack on thousands of decent people who vote and are members of the PSOE. We are not going to tolerate it,” said the island secretary and deputy in Congress, María Dolores Corujo. “If Coalición Canaria and the Partido Popular do not clearly and forcefully disassociate themselves, if they do not condemn these behaviors, they will be complicit in this shame,” she warned.
The PSOE is considering taking action in response to these events
Corujo has also stated that the PSOE of Lanzarote will “consider taking measures” in response to these events, and stressed that “politics cannot become a quagmire where anything goes. We are not going to allow those who are part of the Socialist Party to continue to be singled out, insulted or criminalized.”
“We have a history of struggle, of social progress, of defending democracy and justice. We are not going to allow it to be tarnished with cowardly and miserable speeches. Nor that such serious issues as sexual violence or respect for women are trivialized,” added the socialist leader.
The PSOE of Lanzarote has made a call for institutional responsibility and has reiterated that it hopes that both CC and PP, as political organizations, will not remain silent. “This is not a partisan issue. It is a matter of democratic limits. And whoever does not respect them cannot represent the citizens in a public institution,” Corujo concluded.