The solidarity exhibition on Gaza that the “Plataforma Linares for Palestine” association wanted to hold these days will not be held in the municipal offices of the city council, which is governed by the Popular Party. Tourism consultant Enrique Mendoza refused permission Illustrations by Juan Calvelido (Cádiz, 1968) It was placed in a municipal area so citizens could see it, and in the process, highlighted Israeli attacks on Gazans, which have killed more than 30,000 people and displaced some 200,000 since October. The argument is that, according to the mayor, the matter is “an open conflict between two countries.”
The platform's plan was to expose illustrations that attempt to condemn the “Palestinian drama” and “crimes against humanity” committed by Netanyahu's government against the residents of Gaza, and to do so in a municipal area known as El Posito that includes a museum. About the singer Raphael.
According to the spokeswoman for this organization, Isabel Jimenez, in statements to this outlet, on March 13, a written request was submitted to obtain “a space in my municipal center that will be a museum, with a hall and several rooms containing different types of arts.” From the exhibitions.” The solidarity exhibition was scheduled to last for only one week, at the beginning of this month of April, but the passage of days led to confirmation that it would not happen.
Jiménez explains that one of the members of the platform requested facilities from the Ministry of Tourism, and that in the face of administrative silence, he appeared several times in municipal offices, without obtaining permission. “We even tried to hand over a file explaining the work, but they initially told us it wasn’t necessary.” Finally, the aforementioned file was handed over and the Tourism Mayor, Enrique Mendoza, explained to them that “they had to think about it” in the government team led by the Popular Party at its head, with Auxiliadora del Olmo as the first mayor in the country. History of Linares..
“They ended up denying us the show over the phone,” Jimenez says. The explanation given by the city council, according to the platform, is that it was “an open conflict between two countries.” Words repeated by a tourism consultant in local newspapers New observerUnder the pretext that the municipal space “is not the ideal place.” Despite the rejection, the advisor says that the company’s desire is for “everyone to live in peace.” This medium communicated directly with the city council, which refused to make new statements, in reference to what had already been published.
Supporting Ukraine and Sahara in municipal spaces
But the issue has another side, which is that in 2022 municipal offices were used to support Ukraine during the Russian invasion. This was done through a solidarity campaign led by the current mayor called “Linares with Ukraine” through which humanitarian aid was collected for a week in the city hall building itself. For the Linares Platform for Palestine, the position of the mayor and the current government team involves a “double standard.”
Moreover, according to the official spokesperson, Isabel Jiménez, and this medium has been able to confirm, the Council itself has authorized several actions in defense of the desert. Last June, a meeting of Andalusian health committees was held in the city of El Posito – the same location requested for the exhibition in Gaza – and involved aid workers from Sahrawi refugee camps, which have been in conflict for some time. With Morocco.
He added: “We are angry and this sets a bad precedent, although we are not surprised by the position of this popular party.” “We have written to the ombudsman and will consider other measures,” Jimenez says. “Fortunately, we found a space to hold the exhibition, from April 10 to 24, thanks to the solidarity of the owners of an institution in Linares.”
