Former Catalan PP MP Esperanza García dies at 50

BarcelonaFormer Catalan PP MP Esperanza García (Barcelona, ​​1975) passed away early Thursday morning at just 50 years old, according to information provided to X by Alejandro Fernández, the leader of the PP in the Principality, and by the Andalusian Regional Government, for whom she served as delegate in Catalonia. Her death, caused by cancer, has caused consternation among PP members, with condolences from the party's Catalan leaders on the front page, as well as from Ciutadans, where she began her political career. Sources consulted highlight her vitality, strength, and joy, as well as her good humour despite the illness she suffered.

García was the candidate of the orange party for mayor of Barcelona in the 2007 elections, but she failed to become a councilor at the time, and the party led by Albert Rivera was unsuccessful in entering the Catalan capital's city council until 2015. However, in 2010, García joined the PP (People's Party) and in the 2015 elections, she became a deputy, number four on Xavier García Albiol's list. She was a deputy for that term, which ended in 2017, and became one again in 2019 when Albiol resigned from his position as deputy, as the politician repeated as number four for the Barcelona constituency, but the PP won three seats.

She was a deputy until October 2020 and then briefly participated in Albiol's municipal government of Badalona. Also on the Spanish nationalist side, she was vice president of Societat Civil Catalana during Josep Ramon Bosch's term as president. She was currently the Andalusian Regional Government's delegate in Catalonia, a position she has held since March 2023. A lawyer by profession, she was chosen by the Andalusian president, Juanma Moreno Bonilla, to strengthen trade relations with Catalonia and attract investment for his region, a task she has carried out from an office on Passeig de Gràcia. Moreno lamented her death and highlighted her "courage" and defense of "unity."

Fernández described her as an "intelligent, elegant, brilliant woman who left us too soon." She also received condolences from the president of the Generalitat, Salvador Illa, who emphasized that he was "devastated," as did the Minister of Justice, Ramon Espadaler, and the third secretary of the committee, Rosa Maria Ibarra. "My thoughts go to Esperanza García, who has just left us at a very young age," said the mayor of Badalona, ​​Xavier García Albiol, recalling the moments they shared in the parliamentary group and in the city government. "A serious, hard-working, and committed woman," said Daniel Sirera, the leader of the Popular Party (PP) in Barcelona City Council. The secretary general of the Catalan Popular Party (PP), Santi Rodríguez, also highlighted her "defense of Spanish Catalonia."

Likewise, the leader of Ciudadanos in Catalonia, Héctor Amelló, expressed his condolences, as did former leader Jordi Cañas: "We shared Ciudadanos activism during some intense years, leaving a deep mark on all of us due to her political commitment," stated the former politician. The Andalusian regional government also expressed its condolences.