Amid the applause and cheers, about 200 Vox supporters gathered to greet Santiago Abascal this Wednesday at the Gabriel Miró roundabout. The crowd expressed strong support, with the governor emphasizing that the movement stands as the sole national party to visit Orihuela. They see Vega as the heart of the region and deserve the attention it receives, according to General Manuel Mestre, a mayoral candidate who spoke on behalf of the slate.
As Mestre explained, the Vox leader had the chance to stroll through the city, speak with shopkeepers, and learn firsthand about local concerns, especially issues related to taxes and fees. He noted the center of Orihuela as an area that had suffered from years of neglect due to political mismanagement and corruption. He recalled that four former mayors had been investigated, with one even jailed, underscoring the urgency for change.
“This must stop”, the candidate asserted. “If Vox governs the City Council, expect a radical shift based on two pillars: honesty and competence in administration.”
Mestre recalled the campaign pledge and delivered it to Abascal. He noted that the Virgin was greeted enthusiastically when she arrived in Orihuela that morning, despite the rain. The participants responded with cheers as Abascal expressed his great joy to be in Orihuela and to see the region thirsting for progress in difficult weather.
Political corruption
Abascal then focused on a persistent concern he described as rooted in political corruption at various levels. He highlighted the risk of vote buying, pointing to allegations of a patronage network in Melilla that allegedly distributed envelopes with money in exchange for votes. He argued that a party that runs on such practices harms the democratic process. He argued that a government led by a party under scrutiny has used funds from taxpayers to finance questionable activities that affect young people with perks like tickets for events or trips, seen as incentives financed by the workers who support families across the country.
He connected this behavior to a broader pattern of political malpractice in which promises are made and then left unfulfilled by those who have held power for years. He criticized a National Hydrological Plan that he claimed has not been implemented, leaving basins poorly connected and water distribution uneven. He argued that the status quo wastes resources and fails citizens who depend on reliable water access.
Abascal warned that changing the conversation to avoid accountability constitutes a form of corruption, a consequence he urged the audience to recognize. He presented Vox as the clear alternative, asserting that other leaders have dispensed with public trust and aligned themselves with factions that undermine national interests. He warned that leadership must be renewed with a honest, results-oriented approach that places citizens first.
He stressed that the only viable option for a meaningful shift is Vox, noting how some opponents have associated with rival parties in ways that compromise principles. He argued that a fresh set of policies and a different direction are needed to restore integrity in public life.
Possible deals
Regarding potential agreements within the regional assembly and in Orihuela, where results were expected to be tight, Abascal stated: those who entrusted Vox with their votes will not see them betrayed or redirected to another political power. He insisted that Vox would not act as a mere instrument for the traditional parties. Mestre added that outcomes would be interpreted based on the strength Vox could command and the responses of Oriolanos to the campaign’s proposals.
Finally, Abascal addressed a controversial incident concerning racism in football discourse, referencing statements by Vox’s Catalonia representative, Ignacio Garriga, who said Spain is not a racist country, but that some individuals are. He argued that Catalan and Basque supremacists, and those who insult Spaniards or Vox supporters, ally with Pedro Sánchez’s government and with Bildu. He claimed this coalition empowers forces that threaten social harmony and public safety, calling for a renewed political project that rejects extremism and violence and prioritizes the protection of all citizens.