A trip full of allegations
The President of the Community of Madrid, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, has made a lightning visit to Brussels with the aim of holding key meetings, including with the EU Commissioner for Agriculture and Food, Christophe Hansen. During her stay, Ayuso not only addressed issues related to the Madrid agrarian sector following the Mercosur agreement but also took the opportunity to launch harsh criticisms against the Spanish Government.
One of the highlights of her speech was the recent revelation about a corruption scheme involving Francina Armengol, President of the Congress. According to a report from the Central Operational Unit (UCO) of the Civil Guard, suspicious exchanges have been documented between Armengol and Koldo García, advisor to former minister José Luis Ábalos. These messages, which total up to 65 communications during the critical months of the pandemic, suggest a compromised relationship regarding the fraudulent purchase of medical supplies amounting to nearly 4 million euros.
In her speech, Ayuso emphasised that it is unacceptable for such a prominent figure as Armengol to be linked to this scandal. “Today it is national news that the third authority in the country is involved in a corrupt scheme,” she stated. The Madrid president highlighted a particular message where García refers to Armengol as “darling,” which provoked laughter among the attendees. “If an advisor calls me darling, I would rip his head off,” Ayuso added, underscoring her outrage at this situation.
She did not limit herself to criticising the corrupt connections; Ayuso also expressed her concern about the Spanish Government's migration policies. She announced that Madrid will file an appeal with the Supreme Court against what she considers a massive and irresponsible regularisation of immigrants. “The message cannot be that Spain is an open bar,” she warned, pointing out the potential negative repercussions for the country and for Europe if these policies continue.
Ayuso concluded her speech by warning of the long-term consequences if Spain continues down this path: “Young talent, companies, and investments will abandon us.” Her speech resonated strongly in Brussels, where many observers are attentive to the political and social impact that these statements may have both in Spain and across the rest of the European continent.
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