The PSOE has announced that it will go to court to demand accountability for the audio that was leaked on Thursday by Cadena SER, in which the provincial president of the PP in Jaén, Erik Domínguez, offered privileged information to a Ciudadanos official about a public transport consortium tender. The socialists are demanding the immediate dismissal of Domínguez, who is also a member of the Andalusian parliament, from the president of the Andalusian PP and the Junta de Andalucía, Juan Manuel Moreno. The message from Domínguez, as revealed by Cadena SER Andalucía, stated, “I am sending you the bases that have already been approved by the Junta, which are not yet published. Be careful with this information, please, I am sending it to you in the utmost confidence, so you can be aware and apply, okay? Come on.” The PSOE has emphasized the seriousness of the situation and has called for Moreno to provide immediate information about whether this is standard practice for his government when it comes to public tenders involving privileged information.
The PSOE has criticized the contradictions of the PP president of Jaén, who initially denied that the voice in the audio was his own, but an hour later, in a call to Cadena SER, admitted that it was indeed his message, although he claimed he sent it after the tender bases had been published. In a statement, Domínguez stated that the tender bases for the position of manager of the Metropolitan Transport Consortium of Jaén were approved by the board of directors on the morning of November 15, 2022. He clarified that he sent the message to a Ciudadanos deputy for Jaén in the afternoon of November 15, “hours after it had been approved by the board of directors.” Additionally, he tried to downplay the significance of the information by stating that the Ciudadanos official did not pass the selection process and did not secure the position in the tender. Domínguez has justified the audio as a response to a previous call from the former Ciudadanos deputy, claiming that the situation has been taken out of context and is likely part of a campaign of harassment and attack against him.
The PSOE denies any campaign of harassment against Domínguez, as the audio in question dates back to November 2022, and accuses the PP of employing a different strategy compared to them. They point to the PP’s tactics of spreading rumors, lies, and falsehoods to demand resignations and dismissals. Francisco Reyes, the secretary general of the PSOE in Jaén, has emphasized that this incident has highlighted the differences between the two parties. In a separate issue, the PP’s denunciation has led to the summons of two municipal PSOE officials in Jaén (including the former mayor, Julio Millán) as suspects in the Operation Gang operation, related to the alleged buying of votes during the reflection period of the last municipal elections. Initially, the current secretary of Organization of the Andalusian PSOE, Jacinto Viedma, was also summoned, but his appearance was withdrawn by the judge due to his status as a protected person. Initially, the PSOE filed a complaint about alleged vote-buying, which was initially dismissed. However, another complaint from the PP resulted in a Jaén court reopening the case and ordering the two PSOE officials to appear on the 17th.
The PSOE plans to pursue legal action to get to the bottom of the leaked audio, demanding accountability and transparency from the PP in response to the privileged information shared. As the political pressure mounts on Juan Manuel Moreno to address the situation, the PSOE aims to hold the ruling party accountable for any unethical practices. Despite claims of being taken out of context, the PP president of Jaén faces scrutiny for his actions and possible involvement in providing confidential information during a public tender process. The ongoing political battles and accusations between the PSOE and the PP reflect a larger struggle for power and control in the region, with each side seeking to gain the upper hand through legal and political maneuvers. The outcome of these controversies will undoubtedly impact the political landscape in Andalusia and beyond, shaping the future dynamics of the region’s governance and leadership.
