Lobato, more and more alone, clings “to the law and democracy” and the PSOE orders him to leave it alone until the adoption of the congress

Although criticism of Lobato is relatively mild, what is most significant is that support is non-existent and no socialist official has come out publicly in support of him. If many do not share or do not understand their movement, others do not want to make noise before the territorial renewal which will begin after the federal congress.

“We will not act”declares a senior member of the PSOE leadership. “It makes no sense to do anything when we are three days before the congress and the primaries are going to start in Madrid,” he adds. From there, a pitched battle is expected, since Lobato has no intention of leaving.

The party leadership expects that the renewal processes will be difficult, besides Madrid, in other communities like Andalusia, Castile and León, Aragon, Extremadura And Cantabria. This is why Pedro Sánchez ordered that the regional congresses be held after the Seville congress, which will bring practically no news to the party.

However, Lobato’s situation ruined the idea of ​​a calm federal congress. On the same day that the congress opens in Seville, Friday, the socialist will have to testify before the Supreme Court to shed light on the trial against the Attorney General of the State, Álvaro Garcia Ortiz.

The judge summons him after the newspaper ABC published that the chief of staff of Oscar Lopez –at the time still Sánchez’s chief of staff– sent Lobato the confession of Alberto Gonzalez Amadora few Isabel Diaz Ayusoso he can use it against the Madrid president. Lobato refused and took the messages to a notary.

Several sources from the PSOE leadership assure that “we do not understand” why Lobato “went to the notary to transmit the declaration of another colleague”.

However, everyone is also holding their breath because the Madrid socialist leader will provide the Supreme Court with the notarized report, and there we will be able to see if Moncloa had previously received the email from González Amador’s lawyer in which he asked to reach an agreement for tax crimes. . attributed to him, which would imply that he admits his guilt.

Although some ministers consider that Lobato “reconstructed evidence to be able to blackmail” Óscar López, the favorite of the groups to succeed him in Madrid, the truth is that very few Moncloas really know what the WhatsApp messages of Lobato and the López’s chief of staff, and whether it will be proven that Moncloa had González Amador’s email or if he saw it in the media.

Without the support of the barons

Despite the setback, Sánchez gave the order to hold a federal congress as peaceful as possible. Its objective is to close ranks and encourage the party at a delicate moment, not only because of Lobato, but also after the businessman’s statements. Victor de Aldamathe bad relations with his former right-hand man José Luis Ábalos, the unique financing of Catalonia and the parliamentary weakness of the PSOE, among other problems.

This is why the party leadership requested that the confrontation with Lobato only begin on Monday. “We are not going to enter into a war,” assures a senior source.

Tension will, however, be inevitable because Lobato will lead the Madrid delegation of the PSOE, already elected and which Ferraz will not be able to modify. In addition, will participate in debates on regional financingwhere he tried to play a leading role. The party assures that at the Seville congress, relations with it will be cordial.

Lobato, for his part, will be able to try to obtain support, which he does not have at the moment. When last October the secretary general of the PSOE of Castilla y León, Luis Tudancaplayed a major role in a confrontation with Ferraz because he wanted to organize his primaries before the congress, several officials came to support him.

In addition to personalities such as MP Andrea Fernández or the former President of the Senate Andrew GilLobato was one of the barons who was toughest with Ferraz and most supportive of Tudanca. However, he is not currently receiving this support and the barons remain silent on his situation. This newspaper contacted several territorial leaders and none came to support him.

Whatever happens, everyone will finally have to reveal their card from Monday. Ferraz, for the moment, is trying to avoid the image of intervention in the process in Madrid and several party officials assure that The conflict with Lobato is “limited to Madrid, PSM, Lobato and his team”.

But this image is hardly credible. Óscar López, called to replace Lobato, is the candidate supported by Pedro Sánchez and the president appointed him minister a few months ago to give him visibility.

Ferraz also supported other leaders who might try to unseat him, like Councilman Enma Lopezwho, according to rumors, would end up in the PSOE executive after the Seville congress; or the government delegate in Madrid, Francisco Marin Aguirrewho asked Lobato to give “more solid” explanations and asked to convene the regional executive to discuss what happened.

The former minister Reyes Marotoalso close to Sánchez and member of the Regional Executive, joined the demands of Martín Aguirre and asked Lobato to submit to a question of confidence before the PSOE of Madrid. Despite the signs, Ferraz insists that everything that is happening is a “MSP decision.”