The Ideological Fight in Spain Carries On in the EU Parliament, and in the Middle, Bolivia
Bolivia Today ©
The continuing ideological fight in Spanish politics between conservative and leftist forces reached the EU Parliament's April 29 plenary session in the form of a debate on human rights, where it reached the dimensions of a European ideological debate.
After a harsh exchange among the two opposing sides, which was mostly carried out by Spanish MPs, the European Parliament passed a resolution urging Bolivia and the Arce government to free former President Janine Anez from prison, undertake justice system reform and investigate the Neurona affair. The resolution was adopted with 396 votes in favor, 267 against and 28 abstentions.
One of the main issues at hand here is the confinement or incarceration (if you will) of former Bolivian President Janine Anez by the current Arce government. The government accuses Anez of illegally naming herself President after former President Morales resigned his post back in 2019.
The Neurona affair has been making political waves in Spain and has triggered an investigation in the affairs of Podemos eventually affecting the current Spanish government coalition. The Unidas Podemos party, which is made up of a coalition of Podemos and the United Left (IU), is currently the junior partner in the coalition government headed up by the Socialist Party (PSOE), and its leader and founder Pablo Iglesias is one of Spain’s deputy prime ministers. There are allegations about illegal financing schemes in favor of Podemos through a political consulting company by the name of Neurona which has been active in several left leaning Latin American countries such as Bolivia, Venezuela, Argentina and Mexico. Bolivia, under the prior government, has started an official investigation in the affair looking into the work this company has done in Bolivia and the amount of money paid to them. Spanish prosecutors have also been investigating the ties between Podemos and Neurona. Needless to say, the case has been followed and to a large extent pushed by the conservative forces in Spain.
In the link below, you can follow the debate in the EU Parliament, which was carried out in several languages, as is the norm in the EU Parliament.
Video of the EU Parliament debate (in Spanish, English, Polish, Irish): https://multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/en/debates-on-cases-of-breaches-of-human-rights-democracy-and-the-rule-of-law-bolivia-and-the-arrest-of-former-president-jeanine-aez-and-other-officials-_I204651-V_v
The resolution can be found here: European Parliament resolution of 29 April 2021 on Bolivia and the arrest of former President Jeanine Añez and other officials.
Press release site: Press release.
