The Spanish government has recently accused Juanma Moreno, the President of the Junta de Andalucía, of "institutional disloyalty" during the celebrations of the Day of Andalusia. This accusation arose from Moreno's speech at the Teatro de la Maestranza on February 28, where he reportedly used the occasion to launch attacks on the Spanish government, which has sparked significant political backlash from the opposition party, the PSOE.
Pedro Fernández, the Delegate of the Central Government in Andalusia, heavily criticized Moreno's use of the day meant for celebration. He stated, "Es vergonzoso el uso que hace Moreno Bonilla de las instituciones. Hoy ha demostrado que utiliza la Junta, el acto del 28F pagado con el dinero de todos los andaluces, para atacar al Gobierno de España a base de mentiras, sin escrúpulos y con una absoluta deslealtad institucional" (It is shameful the way Moreno Bonilla uses institutions. Today he has shown he uses the Junta, the 28F event paid for with the money of all Andalusians, to attack the Spanish government based on unscrupulous lies and absolute institutional disloyalty).
During the event, Moreno called for more equitable financial support from the Spanish government, labeling their attempts as "ilusionismo contable" (accounting illusion) instead of meaningful assistance. This insistence on financial equity was met with harsh rebuke from various political actors. Fernández's remarks on social media pointed out the lack of decorum shown by Moreno, implying his criticisms during such a significant event demonstrated bad faith and poor judgement.
Critics from the PSOE were quick to respond, emphasizing Moreno's turn to political campaigning during what should have been a non-partisan celebration. María Ángeles Prieto, the Socialists' health spokesperson, remarked, "Madre mía cómo están de nerviosos en el PP andaluz. Moreno Bonilla aprovecha el discurso institucional del 28F para intentar justificar su rechazo a rebajar la deuda en 19.000 millones de euros con argumentos falsos" (My goodness, how nervous the Andalusian PP is. Moreno Bonilla takes advantage of the institutional speech of 28F to try to justify his refusal to lower the debt by 19 billion euros with false arguments).
Josele Aguilar, the new Secretary Provincial of the PSOE of Málaga, went even more public with his disdain for Moreno, calling the speech "reprobable y vergonzoso" (reproachable and shameful) for transforming the event’s purpose to align with the interests of the PP. He stated, "Moreno Bonilla ha convertido la gala del 28F que se paga con el dinero de todos los andaluces en un mitin del PP" (Moreno Bonilla has turned the 28F gala, which is paid for with the money of all Andalusians,into a PP rally).
Election-year politics, it seems, have overshadowed the essence of what these celebrations represent—a chance for citizens of Andalusia to come together to honor their heritage and community achievements. Critics have been vocal, insisting this politicization does damage to the relationship between regional and national governance.
Further accusations against the President mention his attempts to distance himself from past actions by the PSOE, characterizing his leadership as hypocritical. Rafael Recio, another PSOE representative, lamented, "Menudo farsante el presidente de todos los andaluces y andaluzas el Día de Andalucía" (What a fraud the president of all Andalusians is on the Day of Andalucía).
The back-and-forth between the national government and regional leaders such as Moreno raises questions about the future of cooperation within Spain. The political arena is charged with increased tensions and allegations of disloyalty do nothing to build bridges. Both sides will likely need to reconsider their approach moving forward if they wish to establish any semblance of trust and respect.
What remains clear is the significance of political integrity, especially during national holidays aimed at fostering unity within the community. The accusations against Moreno could have lasting repercussions, impacting not only his political career but also the territorial dynamics of governance within Spain.