The Government describes the pact in Valencia between the PP and Vox as "shame": "They use gender violence as a bargaining chip"

The pact announced by Vox with the PP to govern the Valencian Community was expected in the Government, in the PSOE, but the speed with which it has been sealed has surprised La Moncloa. However, the agreement supposes political ammunition for the Socialists, who see in it an opportunity to consolidate the message of the arrival of the ultra-right to power, establish a link between PP and Vox. And the presence in the equation of Carlos Flores, leader of the formation of Santiago Abascal in this community and convicted of mistreatment of his ex-wife, allows stirring up the discourse of fear.

“Gender violence is serious enough not to frivolize, so that it is not laundered and serious enough so that it does not form part of a bargaining chip for any agreement,” said Isabel Rodríguez, spokesperson for the Executive, after the celebration of the Council of Ministers. “It would be consuming a shame.”

The pact between the PP and Vox means that Flores, convicted of mistreating his ex-wife, let us remember, will go number one on the Vox list for the general elections on 23-J, so that if he is elected, he will be a deputy for the next legislature in Congress. The day before, the PP had warned, through the mouth of its spokesman, Borja Sémper, that the conviction for “macho violence” 20 years ago against Carlos Flores was “a red line” that made it impossible for him to enter the regional Executive.

“It is a shame to agree,” state government sources, once they have had public knowledge of the pact. “The PP has moved the red line. From Valencia they pass it to Madrid. What is not valid for there is valid for here. It is using the victims of gender violence as a bargaining chip for power,” they insist from the presidential complex. “It is a very serious issue, they have marketed with it and it seems good that it can come here [to Congress].”

“Rule at any cost”

At the same time that the press conference after the Council of Ministers was being held in La Moncloa, the PSOE leadership has summoned the media so that Pilar Alegría, socialist spokesperson and Minister of Education, would present a message that was also harsh, but evidencing that this pact allows the socialists to try to open a flank of attack to the popular. “The coherence of the PP is non-existent. Its cynicism is absolutely embarrassing. Since 2003 in this country there have been more than 1,000 women murdered due to sexist violence – the official figure is 1,206 fatalities due to Gender Violence from January 1, 2003 to the today-. The PP has agreed with a force that rejects the existence of this violence. Their faces should fall with shame.”

The change of position of Flores does not suppose any attenuation neither for the Government nor for the PSOE. “This man is convicted of sexist violence. They have agreed on a government with a man convicted of sexist violence. What else has to happen? They will sit down with Vox and occupy the governments that are necessary. What they want is to govern at any cost” , Alegría has sentenced in reference to the PP.