Pepe Hernandez announced his resignation with immediate effect as the head of the PP in Villena and also stepped down from his role as a member of parliament. He attributed the decision to the lack of support and trust expressed toward him since the start of the process, as stated by the Valencian Community PP executive committee.
He explained that this move is taken with the aim of leaving the party and publicly thanking those who have contributed with dedication and effort to the development of the city. He expressed gratitude to the people who have consistently supported and respected him, noting that that support has always been appreciated in a concise statement.
PP resolves the Villena leadership question: Miguel Ángel Salguero to be the new mayor
The departure of Pepe Hernández follows a decision by Carlos Mazón’s party leadership to appoint Miguel Ángel Salguero, the current municipal PP spokesperson in Villena and the party’s secretary in the municipality, as mayor. Salguero has recently led the party’s opposition to the municipal government led by the socialist Fulgencio Cerdán. This change comes as a replacement for Pepe Hernández, who had been at the top of Villena’s electoral list in 2019, which secured 5,053 votes and seven of the 21 council seats.
On September 5, Pepe Hernández took part in his final parade alongside Carlos Mazón during the Moors and Christians festival in Villena. The Diputación head and the Valencian Community leader attended in the morning, participating in the grand Entrance after the Pasodoble performance and the subsequent dinner.
Mazón joins the Moors Newcomers for Villena festivities
After a period of renewed energy and focus following the Covid hiatus, Villena again filled its streets with music and color. Mazón enjoyed the festive atmosphere, moving through the crowd as a member of the Moros Nuevos group, to which Pepe Hernández belongs and where he previously served as the head of the Villena PP.
It was in June when Pepe Hernández became president of the Villena Populars and Salguero was appointed as the new general secretary. The local PP leadership reorganized its political operations into four areas: regional and environmental policy, social and cultural development, economic strategy, and organizational management. A deputy secretary was assigned to oversee each area, with María José Hernández coordinating regional and surrounding areas; Daniel Domene handling Economic Development; María García-Galbis overseeing sociocultural initiatives; and Mari Carmen Martínez Clemor taking charge of the Order.