The Socialist Party of Lanzarote strongly condemns the violence suffered by the socialist councilor in the City Council of Tinajo, Begoña Hernández, at the hands of a worker of the council itself during the legitimate exercise of her functions as a public representative.
The events, which have already been reported by Hernández, occurred when the councilor went to the City Council after being previously authorized to consult municipal documentation, after several unsuccessful attempts to have a copy of it delivered through the usual channels. "Once there, and while trying to photograph the documents, something that is fully protected by law, a worker prevented her from doing so by force", according to the socialists in a statement.
The spokesperson for the island Executive of the PSOE of Lanzarote, Cristina Duque, has expressed on behalf of the party her full support and solidarity with her colleague and has been forceful: "A councilor has the right and the duty to oversee the action of the municipal government. What has happened in Tinajo is very serious: not only has that right been obstructed, but it has even resorted to violence. It is intolerable and we will not allow it."
The PSOE of Lanzarote recalls that this situation is not an isolated event. Plenary session after plenary session, councilor Begoña Hernández has been enduring degrading treatment by the mayor Jesús Machín, with disqualifications, disrespect and sexist comments that have been publicly denounced by the socialist group.
"This episode is the direct consequence of a climate of hostility that has been installed in the City Council of Tinajo for too long, fueled by the authoritarian and aggressive attitude of its mayor," said Duque. "When the basic principles of the democratic game are disrespected from the mayor's office, things like this happen. And we are not going to normalize it."
The PSOE of Lanzarote announces that it will take all the decisions it deems appropriate in the face of events that cannot go unanswered. "We are going to firmly defend the rights of our colleagues, and denounce any abuse of power or attempt to silence those who exercise the opposition with responsibility and courage," concluded the spokesperson.