Mariola Vargas (PP) stated this Monday that the murders by ETA were like the 'corruption scandals of the PSOE today', during the tribute for the 29th anniversary of Miguel Ángel Blanco's assassination.
The Mayor of Collado Villalba, Mariola Vargas, has sparked controversy by comparing the murders committed by the terrorist group ETA with the corruption cases of the PSOE. She made this statement on Monday during the commemorative event for the 29th anniversary of the assassination of PP councillor Miguel Ángel Blanco, held in the town hall square.
"It was a bit like the current corruption scandals of the PSOE, which were so frequent that we were getting used to them, one more dead, one more dead," the mayor declared to the journalists present. Her words have generated intense political and social debate in the locality.
The Mayor's Full Statements
Vargas began her speech by recalling the figure of Miguel Ángel Blanco: "29 years since the assassination of Miguel Ángel Blanco and once again we remember him, because he was not just a person, but what his assassination meant above all and the precedent it created." She then launched the comparison that has ignited social media.
"Of all the murders by ETA, it was a bit like the current corruption scandals of the PSOE, which were so frequent that we were getting used to them, one more dead, one more dead, but it is true that there are attacks that mark a history, that make a difference, and perhaps the assassination of Miguel Ángel Blanco was one of them," she added.
"It was a bit like the current corruption scandals of the PSOE, which were so frequent that we were getting used to them, one more dead, one more dead"
The mayor also announced an initiative for schoolchildren in the municipality to learn about Miguel Ángel Blanco. "Only 40% of young people know who he was," she lamented, proposing to include him in the educational programme, just as is done with singer Antonio Molina.
Vargas' Personal Memory
Mariola Vargas, a doctor by profession, shared a personal experience from those days. "I was making home visits and I had a call in Las Rozas, just, I was going to see a child with chickenpox. And when I went up to the house, I saw the mother crying bitterly; the horrible images were there, and then the woman consoled me, the mother of the sick child, because I started crying too," she recounted.
"We sat there, we became friends, we maintained the friendship," the mayor confessed, trying to humanise her speech. However, the focus has remained on her words about corruption and terrorism.
The municipal opposition has already expressed its outright rejection. Sources from the local PSOE have described the statements as "infamous and undignified", while other parties are calling for a public retraction. The residents of Collado Villalba have been divided on social media between those who support the mayor and those who believe she has trivialised the pain of the victims.
Reactions and Local Context
The event, organised by the Collado Villalba Town Hall, aimed to be a tribute to the memory of the victims of terrorism. However, Vargas' words have diverted attention. The municipality, with around 65,000 inhabitants, has been governed by the PP since 2019, and this is not the first time the mayor has generated controversy with her statements.
In the coming days, it is expected that the controversy will transcend the local level and reach the Assembly of Madrid. Meanwhile, the mayor has not retracted or clarified her words. Citizens interested in learning about the educational initiative regarding Miguel Ángel Blanco can consult the Town Hall's website.
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