The PSOE of Ávila has condemned the appearance of a simulated coffin with a photograph of Pedro Sánchez on the balcony of the Hoyocasero Town Hall, next to the official flags at half-mast. The socialists demand that the Consistory explain the circumstances of its placement, without anticipating the responsibilities that could arise.
'ElConstitucional.es' has contacted the party, which considers it especially serious that a representation of this nature appears in a public building that should represent all residents, regardless of their political preferences.
Its general secretary, Carlos Montesino, has described what happened as "absolutely intolerable" and has warned that "we cannot allow the representation of the death of a political adversary to be normalized as a way of expressing disagreement with their decisions."
Montesino has defended the right to question the actions of any Executive, but has rejected that such disagreement be expressed through the staging of its president's death. “In a democracy, one can criticize, disagree, and protest against any Government. What is not admissible is to represent the death of the President of the Government. Freedom of expression cannot serve as an excuse to normalize images that fuel hostility and political confrontation,” he pointed out.
The socialist leader recalled other episodes directed against Sánchez during the concentrations in front of the PSOE headquarters in Ferraz, where, according to the note, his hanging was simulated and a doll with his image was beaten.
A warning that extends to mayors and councilors
The PSOE of Ávila has focused on the risk that the repetition of these scenes will end up diminishing their seriousness in the eyes of public opinion. Montesino has insisted that their rejection must be maintained regardless of the party to which the person in question belongs.
"What is truly worrying is that we end up getting used to this type of image. Today it is the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, but tomorrow it could be any mayor or councilor of our towns, regardless of their political acronyms. We cannot allow staging the death of someone who thinks differently to become normal in our democracy," he denounced.
The party therefore asks for explanations about what happened on the municipal balcony, although it clarifies that this claim does not prejudge who is responsible.
Complaint for an act that occurred at dawn on the municipal balcony
The mayor of Hoyocasero (Ávila), Iván Picós, of the Popular Party (PP), has issued a statement condemning the placement, on the Town Hall balcony, of a cardboard coffin with the image of the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, and has filed a complaint with the Civil Guard to investigate the facts and identify those responsible.
According to Iván Picós himself, the events occurred in the early hours of October 31 to November 1, when one or more people, whose identity is unknown, placed a cardboard coffin with an image of Pedro Sánchez in the Town Hall.
The mayor from Ávila has described what happened as “absolutely regrettable, inadmissible and incompatible with respect and democratic coexistence”, and has stressed that the municipal action was immediate as soon as the incident became known.
Immediate removal and coordinated action in the Town Hall
Iván Picós explained that he was out of town when the events occurred and that it was a councilor who informed him of what had happened, after which he had a conversation with the two councilors of the town, with whom he agreed to remove the cardboard coffin “immediately”.
Likewise, the mayor has assured that, from the very moment the facts became known, the response was “coordinated, consensual and immediate” between the Mayor's Office and the two councilors, and has insisted that, given “the seriousness and nature of the facts”, a complaint has been filed with the Civil Guard to clarify what happened.
Defense of institutional respect and democratic coexistence
In his statement, Iván Picós stated that political differences “can never justify disrespect, intimidation, personal disqualification or actions that violate the dignity of people or democratic institutions”.
The mayor also stressed that, above any ideology, political party or discrepancy, “respect, education, legality and democratic coexistence must always prevail”, while defending that Hoyocasero is a town of “hardworking, respectful people committed to coexistence”.
“Institutional respect is not a matter of political acronyms, but of democratic principles. And those principles, from the Mayor's Office of Hoyocasero, we will always defend them, no matter who governs,” concludes the mayor's statement.
