Vox’s (bad) habits

Throughout his extensive and absurd experience, the chronicler has been able to detect in the three majority groups of the Chamber non-law proposals scribbled by deputies other than the proponents, by general directors and technical general secretaries of the Government in power and even by the working men. from the press offices, may God bless you all.

Thanks to this subgenre that was so popular yesterday, the sovereign people – that is, the deputies, several officials of the Chamber, the team of technicians of the television system, a man who was dozing in the guest gallery and the reporter – were able to enjoy the scuffle between deputies José Bermúdez and Patricia Hernández, mayor and former mayor respectively of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Bermúdez presented a non-legal proposal to support the transformation of the property that once housed the Santa Cruz de Tenerife Spa into the health center of the Anaga district, although it is understood that it could be used at the same time for other health uses or socio-sanitary. The mayor was satisfied because he had managed to get an amount included in the Health budget items to write the technical project.

The Santa Cruz Spa closed at the beginning of the nineties. It was a public resource that two dictatorships created and maintained: that of Primo de Rivera and that of Francisco Franco. It was the first public swimming pool in the Tenerife capital and a singularly popular establishment for half a century among the middle and working classes of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. The rich and the wealthy middle classes had the Royal Nautical Club. The Spa was destroyed by the stupid or chaotic expansion of the port of Santa Cruz, which left it without access to the sea. The annoyance was partly neutralized with the construction of Las Teresitas beach in the early seventies, which in the eighties became popular as a favorite natural leisure space for the entire municipality. Bermúdez did not comment on this: he limited himself to recounting the importance of the Spa as the architectural and emotional heritage of the chicharreros.

The question remained, of course, about how such an important and emotional space has been falling apart for more than thirty years and through that door Patricia Hernández entered at full speed, remembering the successive announcements of recovery of the dilapidated Spa, partly forgetting that The property has only been transferred to the Autonomous Community in relatively recent times and how difficult things invariably make it, the Port Authority. Despite that, Hernández’s claim – that she is a more effective speaker when she is less upset, even though she believes otherwise – had its impact.

From his seat Bermúdez looked at it smiling because at least he already had the money for the technical project guaranteed in the regional budgets. For the rest, the mayor – like all the deputies – knew that the PNL would be approved unanimously, just as it happened. From the guest gallery, Carlos Tarife, the deputy mayor of the Santa Cruz city council and true vizier of the city, also applauded the triumph of the non-law proposal.

Then came the funniest moment of the day, the non-legal proposition of Vox to “fight against illegal immigration” defended by Paula Jover: a rigorous selection of all the falsehoods, simplistics, cruelties and stupidities that attempt to justify a stupid xenophobia. From the “Brussels elites” who impose denationalizing policies and opening borders”, the escalation of crimes and crimes resulting from the arrival of immigrants, tuberculosis (sic), female genital mutilation (sic), riots, the ” triple rape of an old woman” in Santa Cruz de Tenerife (sic). This whole catastrophe attacks our customs according to your honor. You’ll find out what Mrs. Jover’s habits are. Do you systematically avoid black when dressing? Do you only eat white beans? Do you collect biographies of Dr. Mengele?

Customs have no fucking value in themselves. There are terrible customs such as, for example, xenophobia, and this disgusting attempt to stimulate racial hatred – which is cultural hatred and also class hatred – by stating that migrants who arrive in boats occupy rooms in hotels and spas while the Canarians do not. They can access housing.

It is the rotten evil core of a destructive extreme right that buys votes with fear, prejudice, and ignorance. It doesn’t matter that the Vox spokesperson smiles like a muppet constantly or that Joven looks like an extra from Little House on the Prairie. Her incendiary speech is the same as in Madrid, Almería or Cáceres or Barcelona. They speak in Canary Islands but the Canary Islands are only heard of. Otherwise they would understand that this country would be incomprehensible in its historical and cultural identity without having been the origin and destination of a set of migrations developed over half a millennium. Theirs is a scoundrel and infinite ignorance.

However, perhaps there is too much energy in rejecting Vox. Of course, the interventions of Patricia Hernández or Luis Campos or Jana González were fully justified. But with Vox the democratic forces represented in the Parliament of the Canary Islands They should not use the temptation of the punching bag: jumping into the ring to show off liberal and progressive muscle. With Vox the best thing, by far, is a laconic contempt, not serving as a sounding board, although the temptation of rhetorical heroism remains irresistible. What decent democrat hasn’t dreamed of calling a fascist a fascist to his face, especially in this country of all devils? However, it is preferable to be shorter and more forceful: «I have listened carefully to his racist vomit falling on the speakers’ gallery. “We are going to vote no and ask for a mop.”