Ione Belarra, the General Secretary of Podemos and Minister of Social Rights, has defended Pilar Lima as «the best candidate for the city of Valencia, without a doubt», after the Second Vice President, Yolanda Díaz, publicly called for support for the mayor of the city and leader of Compromís, Joan Ribó.
Speaking to the media from Toledo, Belarra said about Lima, «a deaf and queer woman», that she had received «hate speech from one of the main journalists in this country, Mr. Pablo Motos».
In any case, she assures that the «courage» of the candidate is «essential for Valencia, «which still has major transformations to make», to face them from May 28 onwards.
These words contrast with Díaz’s position, who yesterday publicly called for the mayorship of Valencia to remain in the hands of Ribó, and in the presence of Lima herself, after she called for votes to be concentrated in Unidas Podemos (UP) for the Presidency of the Valencian Generalitat.
«I ask for it loud and clear, with the support of all the progressive forces in your city,» Yolanda Díaz stated at an event in Valencia, which received applause from several attendees. The Valencia mayor thanked the Second Vice President of the Government for her support.
After the statements of the Minister of Labor, Lima left an event organized by the Citizen-Port Commission without appearing before the media.
However, the number two on the electoral list of the confederal space and representative of IU, Lara Máñez, did attend and explained that Lima had to attend another event.
«Yolanda Díaz has stated that she wants Ribó to remain as mayor with the support of the rest of the progressive forces. All we have to say about that is that it implies voting for and entering Unides Podem in the Valencia City Council as a condition of possibility for that to happen,» the Lima candidacy later stated.
