The spokesperson for Sumar in Congress, Verónica Martínez Barbero, and the Secretary of State for Social Rights, Rosa Martínez, have made public this Friday that they will run as candidates to lead the formation in its next general assembly, scheduled for July 11.
This announcement formalizes the tandem that in recent days had been gaining weight within the organization as an option to steer the party's course.
According to sources from their team, as conveyed to Europa Press, their purpose is to articulate a unity candidacy that integrates the different internal sensitivities, with the objective of overcoming the deep organic crisis that the formation is going through. In fact, the formal registration of the list for the leadership will take place in the coming days and will be an integration list, with these sources emphasizing that there is broad consensus in the party around this formula.
Movimiento Sumar is experiencing a moment of strong tension following the resignation of former Organization Secretary Laura Moreno, who left her position amid harsh criticism of the current general coordinator, Lara Hernández, in a letter to the leadership in which she revealed that an internal investigation for abusive treatment of workers weighs upon her.
Hernández's circle, for now, has not clarified whether she intends to run to continue at the head of the party or to remain in the leadership, or if, on the contrary, she will opt to step aside. They limit themselves to pointing out that she must make decisions and that she will make them public shortly.
However, various sources from the sector critical of Hernández maintain that she has lost significant support and consider it very difficult for her to be integrated into the executive again while that investigation process remains open.
The deadline to register candidacies for the coordinating group, the highest leadership body of the formation, ends on June 30, although the lists that finally compete will be officially made public on July 5.
THEY WANT TO BUILD A STRONG ORGANIZATION
As indicated in a statement, the two leaders are taking this step to become the next co-coordinators of Movimiento Sumar to "continue promoting policies that fight against inequality and following the example" of the second vice president, Yolanda Díaz.
Likewise, they have detailed that they aspire to contribute to raising a left-wing front together with other colleagues from different organizations to "guarantee" that Spain "continues to move forward with a firm step to gain rights".
The parliamentary spokesperson and the Secretary of State have also committed to pouring all their "efforts" into making Movimiento Sumar a "solid and strong organization throughout the country". "This small step we are taking today is the beginning of a path that will only make sense if we walk it all together," they have indicated.
SUPPORT FROM MÓNICA GARCÍA
"We are at a key moment in the history of our country in which we believe it is time to take steps forward. For all the people who have difficulties making ends meet, for those who live distressed by the price of rents, for temperatures that remind us that there is no present or future without a just transition that modernizes our economy, for a diverse and feminist country, free and just," they have emphasized.
For her part, the Minister of Health, Mónica García, expressed on RNE that she views Verónica Barbero and Rosa Martínez's candidacy to lead Sumar favorably and added that she does not intervene in the organic development of other progressive forces.