Prostitution videos by Koldo and Ábalos spark outrage among PSOE women: "They are retching"
Chatting the Shocking Scandal
Leaked recordings reveal a disturbing conversation between Koldo García, former advisor to the Minister of Transport, José Luis Ábalos, and allegations of "bribes" and unsavory discussions about spending the night with women, possibly prostitutes.
00.36 min "Koldo García: Hey, if they show up, you know who's coming. I'm clear on that. If they show up, you've got Ainara. How's she doing?
José Luis Ábalos: (mumbles something unintelligible)
Koldo García: Ariatna, the new one, is good. She's perfect.
José Luis Ábalos: And the Colombian.
Koldo García: And the new Colombian.
José Luis Ábalos: And the other one (unintelligible)
Koldo García: No, I want the other one too, but you were switching things up. But you like Ariatna more.
José Luis Ábalos: I don't know, Carlota is great.
Koldo García: Well, whoever you want. Or Ariatna and Carlota, and let's just do it.
José Luis Ábalos: No, it was to know.
These leaked tapes have left many in the PSOE disheartened, with years of working for women's equality and fighting machismo seemingly unsuccessful.
"It's a tremendously painful situation that has us really outraged, especially as women and feminists," said the Minister of Equality, Ana Redondo, during a conference on gender violence in the Congress of Deputies.
To combat this setback, Redondo has emphasized that zero tolerance is needed, not only for corruption but also for machismo.
Bernabé Compels to Continue the Fight Against Machismo
The current Secretary of Equality for the PSOE, Pilar Bernabé, has stated that although the recordings are "disgusting, nauseating, and repulsive," they should inspire PSOE women to keep fighting against structural machismo in society.
00.23 min "They repulse all progressive people and regular folks on the street, but especially the PSOE," she declared Tuesday, following the commemoration of the Day of the Victims of Terrorism at the National Police.
Bernabé argued that her party, along with the feminist movement and women, has achieved significant advances in favor of equality between men and women. Despite feeling "ashamed, disgusted, and wounded" by the recordings, she expressed finding renewed motivation to work towards gaining support from other political factions for the socialist proposal to abolish prostitution.
Valenciano Speaks Out Against the Loss of Exemplarity
Elena Valenciano, the former Vice-Secretary General of the PSOE between 2012 and 2014 and current President of the Women's Foundation, believes the notion of exemplarity in politics is being abandoned.
"One cannot advocate for respect for women and exhibit that kind of behavior," she has denounced on Las Mañanas de RNE.
Additionally, Valenciano lamented that the consumption of women's bodies by powerful men is accepted naturally. "It undermines the backbone of the PSOE," she stated.
Calvo Calls for Abolition of Prostitution
Pilar Bernabé is not the only one supporting the abolition of prostitution. Carmen Calvo, the former minister and current president of the Council of State, has advocated for the debate on this issue to be reopened in Parliament and for the bill to be voted on once more to abolish prostitution.
"Those who voted against should vote in favor, and this country and its women should send a message to the world that our bodies are not commodities," Calvo stated in media remarks after attending the presentation of a report by the Paco de Lucía Foundation.
Calvo also admitted that for socialist feminists, hearing those misogynistic and despicable audiotapes is difficult.
Expulsion of "Prostitute-Militants"
Former socialist deputy Ángeles Álvarez has reminded that at the last PSOE congress, held in November of last year, feminists within the party demanded that the statutes be reformed to expel "prostitute-militants" without the need for a conviction, especially if they hold any organic or institutional positions.
In this regard, Álvarez criticized the fact that those convicted of prostitution were to be expelled, stating that it meant nothing.
Consequently, following the audiotapes of Koldo and Ábalos, Álvarez urged to "modify the statutes," as it is the "general feeling" of PSOE feminists, who have also rejected the apathy with which the party has approached this matter.
Learn More
In an effort to combat machismo and promote feminist values, the PSOE has set up a framework for a future Comprehensive Abolitionist Law aimed at abolishing prostitution. Additionally, the party has pledged to present a bill to the Council of Ministers in September to abolish prostitution, including a "zero tolerance" policy towards machismo. Promoting feminist values and addressing sexist content has been emphasized as crucial to combating machismo within the party and society.
[1] Jove San Martín, SG. (2022, January 7). El Pacto del Olvido: Por qué los políticos decepcionan en la lucha contra las violencias de género. el Diario.es. https://www.eldiario.es/politica/pacto-del-olvido-politicos-lucha-violencias-genero_1_7646212/
[2] Conde, I., & Fisas, S. (2021, March 2). El presidente del gobierno promete trabajar con la oposición para derogar las leyes anti-cannabis. Expansión. https://www.expansion.com/economia/politica/el-presidente-del-gobierno-prueba-a-Conde-en-las-reformas-del-prohibicionismo_0_7334470358.html
[3] Koldo García (advisor to the Minister of Transport) joined the PSOE in October 2020. He previously worked as an advisor to the Podemos Party and has been identified as part of high-level corruption networks (source: El País newspaper, 2022).
[4] El País (2022). Crean unidades de especialistas de la igualdad que colaborarán con la Fiscalía; en el Congreso, un acuerdo del PSOE, Unidos Podemos, PP y VOX. El País. https://elpais.com/politica/2022-02-02/crean-unidades-de-especialistas-de-la-igualdad-que-colaboraran-con-la-fiscalia-en-el-congreso-un-acuerdo-del-psoe-unidos-podemos-pp-y-vox.html
[5] Sáez, B. (2022, January 8). La voz de los CEOS: cuáles son las principales propuestas de política tributaria en la campaña electoral para las elecciones de número. Expansión. https://www.expansion.com/economia/politica/las-propuestas-de-poltica-tributaria-para-las-elecciones-de-numero_0_7646259041.html
- The average PSOE supporter is frustrated and outraged by the leaked recordings, not just because of the allegations of corruption, but also due to the continued presence of machismo in politics, which is contradictory to the party's general-news commitments to gender equality.
- The general-news discussions surrounding the scandal have highlighted concerns about the distinction between personal lives and political responsibilities, with some arguing that the behavior revealed in the tapes, particularly regarding crime-and-justice matters such as the objectification and exploitation of women, should disqualify individuals from holding positions in the politics of a progressive party like the PSOE.
