There are people who, when they feel uncomfortable with a protest, respond with arguments. Others respond with data. Some even engage in self-criticism.
And then there is the option chosen by Echedey Eugenio: to focus on whether the women were wearing makeup.
Because that is exactly what he came to say to discredit a citizen demonstration in defense of the Hospital Insular: that some seemed to be going to a party because they had even come "painted".
I admit that the political logic behind such reasoning fascinates me.
Thousands of people concerned about a public service. Women mobilizing, organizing, and filling the streets. A health debate of enormous importance for Lanzarote. And the conclusion of the Coalición Canaria leader is that some were wearing makeup.
Imagine the level of concern that must exist when political analysis ends up in the toiletry bag.
Because no one questions a man for showing up well-dressed at a political meeting. No one doubts the credibility of a leader because he combs his hair, shaves, or appears impeccable before the cameras.
However, when a woman decides to dress up to leave the house, there are still those who interpret that she loses legitimacy to claim rights.
It is a sexism so old that it almost smells of mothballs.
The perfect woman for some remains an impossible character: if she dresses up too much, she is superficial; if she doesn't dress up, she is careless. If she smiles, she is not committed. If she gets angry, she is exaggerated. If she protests, she is annoying. And if she protests with makeup, apparently she was at a party.
How exhausting it must be to live examining women instead of listening to what they have to say.
What is truly revealing is not that he uttered those words. What is truly revealing is that, faced with a massive mobilization, he could not find a better argument.
Because when a protest forces you to talk about the physical appearance of those participating in it, you are probably not winning the debate.
You are probably trying to avoid it.
The women who were at that demonstration did not go to pass an aesthetic test. They were not competing for a beauty queen crown or a magazine cover. They were defending a cause they consider just for Lanzarote.
And honestly, in 2026, it is quite sad that there are still political leaders who believe that a woman's makeup is more relevant than the reasons why she takes to the streets.
The problem was never that they were painted.
The problem is that some people continue to look at women through glasses so old that they no longer distinguish between a demonstration and a mirror.
The problem was not the makeup
