The Spanish left, in crisis due to the accusation of sexual abuse against the leader of Sumar
Armando G. Tejeda
Correspondent
La Jornada Newspaper
Tuesday, October 29, 2024, p. 24
Madrid. The Spanish left is going through a deep crisis with unpredictable consequences following the allegations of sexual assault against the leader of Sumar, Íñigo Errejón, one of the founders of Podemos and of what was called the new policy.
Those who until last week were his companions already describe him as predator, sexual offender, sexist and misogynist. But the most serious thing is the thread of contradictions at the top of the political formation; Yolanda Díaz, second vice president of the government and top leader of Sumar, acknowledged that she was aware of a complaint against Errejón in June 2023.
Until last Thursday, Errejón, 43, was spokesperson for the Sumar parliamentary group, one of the two parties that form the government coalition, in addition to the Spanish Socialist Workers Party.
After a series of anonymous stories on a social network, which led to a criminal complaint by the actress and television presenter Elisa Mouliaá for a sexual assault she suffered in June 2021, Errejón resigned from politics in a letter, in which He attributed his actions to the pressure for public life, to neoliberalism and to patriarchy.
Errejón is still missing
Since his resignation, Errejón has been missing and refuses to appear to give his version of the events, which he did not confirm or even quote in his resignation letter.
Given the seriousness of the situation, Yolanda Díaz appeared to give explanations and did so until now because she was on a work trip in Colombia. He acknowledged that he learned of a complaint against Errejón in June 2023, but that the leaders of Más Madrid, the group to which Errejón belonged and one of the promoters of Sumar, took charge of the matter. That complaint, made through a public message on social networks, was forgotten because, according to Díaz, the tweet was deleted.
The crisis has caused discomfort in the other parties that make up Sumar, including Izquierda Unida, Compromis and En Comú Podem.
Errejón’s former partner, Rita Maestre, acknowledged that the questioned politician committed the alleged attacks when they were still in their romantic relationship.
