The People's Party (PP) attacks Marlaska, who claims to be unaware of the sexual assault complaint against the National Police: "Resign!"
The minister says he was unaware of the events "until yesterday," but assures that he will resign if the victim has felt unprotected.
MadridShouts for resignation, table-banging, and serious accusations. This is what prevailed this Wednesday during the question period in the Congress of Deputies, with Pedro Sánchez absent due to his trip to India, following the Complaint of sexual assault against the head of the National PoliceThe PP has targeted Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska, demanding he cover up the case. "We knew nothing and, given the seriousness of the situation, we asked him to resign," Marlaska told the media, after it emerged on Tuesday that a Madrid judge had dismissed him. has summoned him to testify The Deputy Director of Operations (DAO) of the National Police, José Ángel González, is under investigation for an alleged sexual assault involving penetration of a lower-ranking officer. After asserting that his immediate resignation was demanded, Marlaska also explained that the commissioner who, according to the complainant, coerced her into not reporting his superior will be removed from his duties. "The government has done what it had to do, and Marlaska has too," defended the Vice President and Minister of Finance, María Jesús Montero, during the question period in Congress. The Spanish government responded to the accusations made by the People's Party (PP) earlier in the day: "If the government has had an alleged rapist at the head of the National Police for at least a month, and now he's leaving, there's only one possible conclusion [...]: that it didn't come to light," said Núñez Feijóo.
Once the plenary session of Congress began, the PP's rhetoric escalated. "Criminals in the Council of Ministers and criminals in the party," exclaimed PP spokesperson Esther Muñoz, who also criticized the PSOE for the alleged corruption schemes surrounding the party and its two former organizational secretaries, José Luis Ábalos and Santos Cerdán. "What are you still doing here, Mr. Marlaska?" the deputy spokesperson, Cayetana Álvarez de Toledo, raised her voice even further: "You have to dissolve like Convergència before a judge does. Your partners are already looking for a name; what will yours be? Neither socialist nor worker," she snapped. "It makes me nauseous to see him here. A whole minister covering up an alleged rape," went the PP's general secretary, Miguel Tellado, even further.
"You must apologize, it's a disgrace," continued PP deputy Mirian Guardiola Salmerón, addressing Marlaska. Even harsher was PP deputy Jaime de Olano: "After covering up for the alleged rapist and his right-hand man," I don't know what else.
Marlaska threatens a lawsuit
"If you dare, say it outside the chamber," the minister retorted, since inside the chamber, members of parliament are protected by parliamentary immunity when delivering their speeches. "If you say it outside, I will sue you for defamation," he warned, emphasizing that they were unaware of all the facts until Tuesday. However, the minister assured them that he would resign if the victim believes he failed her or felt unprotected during this process.
"You are immoral," Minister Óscar Puente also declared in defense of his fellow government member, whom the People's Party (PP) has also demanded resign over the Adamuz and Gelida accidents. "We can say that you knew about the complaint against the mayor of Móstoles and that you covered it up," Puente added, alluding to the PP's defense of their mayor. in response to the harassment complaint filed by one of its councilwomen"If I were a victim, I would feel like vomiting," concluded PP deputy Silvia Franco.
