Madrid's Regional Government Files Legal Action Against Ione Belarra Over Pandemic Remarks
The government takes legal measures against the Unidas Podemos leader for comments labeling pandemic management as 'homicidal'.
The Community of Madrid has announced that it will file a legal complaint against Ione Belarra, the secretary general of Unidas Podemos, for her comments describing the regional government's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic as 'homicidal'.
This announcement follows the confirmation from the regional government that it would also file a complaint against Reyes Maroto, the spokesperson for the Socialist group in the Madrid City Council, for making similar statements to the media.
On March 15, 2025, during a session at the Congress of Deputies, Belarra asserted that Isabel Díaz Ayuso, the president of the Community of Madrid, should be 'in prison' for her management of the pandemic.
In response to these statements, Miguel Ángel García, the regional minister for the presidency, justice, and local administration, indicated that legal teams are preparing appropriate legal actions, highlighting that these allegations constitute an assumption of criminal misconduct by the regional government and suggest intentional malpractice during the pandemic.
This marks the second legal action related to COVID-19 management taken by the Comunidad de Madrid in recent days.
The day prior, the government announced a complaint against Reyes Maroto for her claim that '7,291 victims or elderly individuals were murdered' during the pandemic in regional nursing homes.
Following her remarks, the local government announced a severance of relations with the Socialist councilors, clarifying that future interactions would be conducted strictly through official control mechanisms in plenary sessions and committees.
In a subsequent statement, Maroto retracted her accusation, asserting that her intention was not to accuse anyone of murder but to emphasize that numerous individuals died in Madrid nursing homes without receiving adequate medical treatment.
Despite this retraction, Madrid’s mayor, José Luis Martínez-Almeida, confirmed the decision to maintain the severed relations, citing the lack of a formal retraction as a reason.
The regional government is committed to proceeding with its legal action against Maroto, as stated by the regional minister for presidency, justice, and local administration, who emphasized that political discourse should not encompass unsubstantiated claims.
This current conflict is escalating amidst the fifth anniversary of the pandemic's onset in Spain.
The tensions between the Popular Party (PP) and the Socialists have intensified, particularly following the Community of Madrid's assertion released on March 13, 2025, which claimed the actual number of deaths in nursing homes was 4,100, disputing the 7,291 figure that the Ayuso government declared as being fabricated by Alberto Reyero, the former minister of social policies from the Citizens party.
This statement came in anticipation of the airing of a documentary titled '7,291' by RTVE, which is focused on the situation within Madrid's nursing homes and has faced criticism from the PP for being biased and based on falsehoods.
This announcement follows the confirmation from the regional government that it would also file a complaint against Reyes Maroto, the spokesperson for the Socialist group in the Madrid City Council, for making similar statements to the media.
On March 15, 2025, during a session at the Congress of Deputies, Belarra asserted that Isabel Díaz Ayuso, the president of the Community of Madrid, should be 'in prison' for her management of the pandemic.
In response to these statements, Miguel Ángel García, the regional minister for the presidency, justice, and local administration, indicated that legal teams are preparing appropriate legal actions, highlighting that these allegations constitute an assumption of criminal misconduct by the regional government and suggest intentional malpractice during the pandemic.
This marks the second legal action related to COVID-19 management taken by the Comunidad de Madrid in recent days.
The day prior, the government announced a complaint against Reyes Maroto for her claim that '7,291 victims or elderly individuals were murdered' during the pandemic in regional nursing homes.
Following her remarks, the local government announced a severance of relations with the Socialist councilors, clarifying that future interactions would be conducted strictly through official control mechanisms in plenary sessions and committees.
In a subsequent statement, Maroto retracted her accusation, asserting that her intention was not to accuse anyone of murder but to emphasize that numerous individuals died in Madrid nursing homes without receiving adequate medical treatment.
Despite this retraction, Madrid’s mayor, José Luis Martínez-Almeida, confirmed the decision to maintain the severed relations, citing the lack of a formal retraction as a reason.
The regional government is committed to proceeding with its legal action against Maroto, as stated by the regional minister for presidency, justice, and local administration, who emphasized that political discourse should not encompass unsubstantiated claims.
This current conflict is escalating amidst the fifth anniversary of the pandemic's onset in Spain.
The tensions between the Popular Party (PP) and the Socialists have intensified, particularly following the Community of Madrid's assertion released on March 13, 2025, which claimed the actual number of deaths in nursing homes was 4,100, disputing the 7,291 figure that the Ayuso government declared as being fabricated by Alberto Reyero, the former minister of social policies from the Citizens party.
This statement came in anticipation of the airing of a documentary titled '7,291' by RTVE, which is focused on the situation within Madrid's nursing homes and has faced criticism from the PP for being biased and based on falsehoods.
Translation:
Translated by AI
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
