All over bar the shouting

PODEMOS CO-FOUNDER: Juan Carlos Monedero.

In a manner of speaking

DESPITE chuntering in the wings from Podemos and IU, the PSOE socialists welcomed substituting ‘imputado’ for ‘investigado’ in the early phases of court cases.

It’s only semantics but ‘imputado’ with its meaning of ‘attributed, imputed, implicated, accused, charged’ whiffs of pre-judgement. As an instructing judge’s investigations prog- resses, someone called to declare either walks out of chambers or sets out on the road leading to prison.

Predictably the governing PP conservatives are grateful for the change. Both parties have countless politicians imputed for corruption and are confident the subtle shift will be appreciated by voters come May and November. That confidence could be misplaced, however, as Spain’s miscreants are guilty in the public mind until proven otherwise.

ANDALUCIA’S regional elections are all over bar the shouting but unfortunately for voters, shouting counts in Spanish politics. 

Election promises have been swallowed and will either be digested or regurgitated but one big question remained unanswered and will not be answered in the next round of elections. When will politicians stop accusing and counter-accusing each other and concentrate on the job in hand? And fight the electorate’s corner instead of their own?

Another Iron Lady

ESPERANZA AGUIRRE, who hopes to become Madrid’s next mayor, is a survivor. She has survived breast cancer and a helicopter crash. She emerged barefoot from the Taj Mahal hotel in Bombay during the Islamist siege that killed 90 in 2008.

Her political career survived even after she tried to topple the PP leader Mariano Rajoy and she remains standing while politicians close to her during her spell as Madrid regional president have fallen. 

She almost mowed down a Madrid traffic policeman as she sped off to avoid a fine. All of this could win her votes but not her politics which are to the right of Right. No wonder Rajoy ignored his misgivings to give her the candidacy.

Split loyalties

PODEMOS appeared out of nowhere to win five seats in last year’s European elections.

Its Euro-MPs recently voted against a call for Venezuela to   release jailed opponents to the practically totalitarian system.  Not surprising for a party whose leaders were close advisers to the late president Hugo Chavez and his hapless successor Nicolas Madura. 

Even less surprising when we know Podemos co-founder Juan Carlos Monedero has made a pretty penny out of it. Just a little something to bear in mind next May and November.

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Cassandra

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