The Federal Committee of Guarantees of the PSOE has definitively shelved the internal complaint filed by a militant against the secretary general of the Socialist Grouping of Palma, Iago Negueruela, for a “high-toned discussion”, as confirmed by sources of the PSIB-PSOE on Wednesday. The decision closes the internal route of the file after having been previously dismissed in three regional and insular instances, not appreciating facts constituting a fault or sanction according to party regulations.
The resolution comes after the militant appealed to Ferraz the file agreed by the party bodies in the Balearic Islands, which had already evaluated the case in the ethics committee, the executive of the Socialist Federation of Mallorca and the executive of the PSIB-PSOE, all in the same sense. The federal body, convened for some time to analyze different files at national level, has again dismissed the complaint and has decreed its dismissal, as indicated by the PSOE of Palma.
Negueruela, who also serves as spokesman for the socialist group in the Balearic Parliament, has been “absolutely calm” and reiterated his respect for the internal procedures of the party, stressing that “in democracy not everything goes and you have to accept the results of the congressional processes, like it or not like it”. Thesocialist leader considers that the accusation was “taken out of context” and remarked that the guarantee bodies “have been pronouncing as they should”.
Internal process and guarantees
The secretary of Organization of the PSIB-PSOE, Cosme Bonet, has defended that the party has been “extremely guarantor” throughout the process, listening to both parties and allowing the provision of evidence. He has framed the facts in a conflict between militants after a “complicated” internal process, a situation that, as he pointed out, is repeated in all political formations. Bonet insisted that “three different instances have estimated that there was no applicable sanction”, as the facts denounced were not demonstrated.
Asked if the complaint could be considered false, Bonet has avoided that qualification, limiting himself to emphasize that the facts reported “were not constitutive of sanction or fault” according to the internal regulations of the PSOE. After the appeal, he explained, it was up to Ferraz to decide, something that has already happened with the new file archive.
Political reproaches
The case has led to a cross of political reproaches with the PP, after the president of the Govern, Marga Prohens, referred to Negueruela as “macho” in Parliament. The socialist leader has accused the PP of using “anything” against the PSOE and has claimed that “they should dedicate themselves to governing and to the problems of the citizens”.
From the PSIB, Bonet has also charged against the PP, considering that the presumption of innocence is violated and that the socialists are treated as guilty “before the hour”, in contrast – he said – with other cases that affect the popular. The political controversy has spread to the City Council of Palma, where the deputy spokesman, Llorenç Bauzá, has pointed out that it is Negueruela who must give explanations, while he has shown his rejection to “any sexist action”.
Bauzá has questioned the credibility of the PSOE and has accused the socialists of using certain cases for political gain, statements that come after the internal file has been definitively closed by the federal body of the party.
