Castelló, (EFE).- The popular Begoña Carrasco has been elected this Saturday as the new mayor of Castelló after eight years of socialist government led by Amparo Marco and will govern in a minority after failing to reach an agreement with Vox.
Carrasco has been invested with the 11 votes of her group in a session in which Amparo Marco has handed over the command rod and has left the session, since she has not taken office as councilor.
The councilors have voted for their respective candidates
The nine councilors of the PSPV-PSOE have voted for their candidate, José Luis, López, the four councilors of Vox have voted for theirs, Antonio Ortolá and the three councilors of Compromís have voted for their respective candidate, Ignasi Garcia.
Carrasco, 44, thus becomes the second woman to hold the Mayor’s Office of the capital of La Plana, after Amparo Marco, and recovers for the PP a position in which they governed for 24 years.
After not obtaining a majority in the first vote, Carrasco has been declared mayor because her party was the one that obtained the highest number of votes in the last municipal elections on May 28. The already mayor had requested the abstention of the rest of the political groups to facilitate her investiture, but finally, and after failing to reach a government agreement with Vox, Carrasco has only obtained the support of the PP votes.
Vox harshly criticizes Carrasco for not pactr
A lack of agreement that has been harshly criticized by the head of the Vox list, Antonio Ortolá, who has accused Carrasco of “putting his personal interests first based on the delusional and ruinous ideology of the left to assault this consistory”, something that has said, “their constituents have not asked for it.”
Ortolá has made Carrasco ugly for “not wanting to shake hands with Vox”, has accused her of “betraying” her voters and has asked her to “agree” with PSOE and Compromís with whom she can “continue defrauding her voters”.
After the recount of the 27 votes, Begoña Carrasco preferred to speak from the lectern, instead of the table to which, she said, “I still have to get used to it”, and she did so to expose the main lines of government that will put underway and that they are going through a reduction in taxes, for returning the double denomination in Spanish and Valencian to the place name of the city and for “claiming the capital status and the pride of the city”.
Carrasco has assured that he assumes the Mayor’s Office with “the greatest of illusions” and the “maximum humility” and also with firmness and willingness to dialogue and consensus, as well as listening and reflection.
Carrasco, committed to freedom
He has promised to “open the doors and windows” of the consistory and to put an end to “order and command” and impositions. And he has also assured that he will defend freedom and that “each one develops his life project as he wants.”
At the same time, he has assured that he is not going to ask anyone “who do they pray to, who do they love or who do they vote for” because they are going to put an end to “sectarianism”.
He has also lamented the “closeness” of the opposition groups that have not wanted to sit down and talk with the PP, with the exception of Vox, whom he has thanked for their willingness and who has recalled that “the hand is still outstretched for agreements for the good of the people of Castellón.
He finished his speech by paraphrasing his favorite poet, Joaquín Sabina, and thanking his family and fellow party members.
On behalf of the Socialist Party, José Luis López has assured that during the last 8 years of the PSOE government “we have transformed the city” and put an end to “the chaos and depredation to which it was subjected.” The legacy of the PSOE, he has said, “leaves a city with an economic, modern projection, generating opportunities, inclusive and more supportive and sustainable”.
And he has pointed out that the PP is aware that Castelló is a better city than in 2015 and has indicated that “sooner rather than later they will announce their government pact with Vox and the red lines will not take long to be toads to swallow”.
Finally, Ignasi Garcia, representative of Compromís, has indicated that “democracy and its values are in danger” and now “they seek to eliminate what is different and diversity”. Faced with this, his party “will work so that Castelló continues to be a city of rights and freedoms.” EFE
rta (photo)