Moreno claims that the screening crisis has strengthened healthcare.

The Andalusian Government has now finished its efforts in dealing with the severe crisis that arose in the breast screening program. Juanma Moreno, president of Junta, took advantage of the debate about the state of Community, which was the last in the current legislative, to bid farewell and open a brand new stage where he is on the offensive. This new era is aimed at the next regional elections whose date has not yet been announced.

The opposition, on both sides, thought that since the screening crisis broke at the end September they had finally found a way to penetrate the hegemony of Juanma Moreno in the last few years. This hegemony led to the absolute majority in 2022. The left attributes all of the Andalusian problems to the alleged privatisation of the public healthcare service. Vox points out that this problem is proof that the Popular Party is not as capable of managing its affairs as it claims. Its model is similar to the Socialist Party and only painted a different color.

The Junta’s narrative during these months was limited to the measures taken to combat the crisis. From an initial shock plan, to the announcement of the healthcare system being turned around like socks.

Moreno demonstrated on Thursday that the defensive phase has ended and that he is now attacking. The road towards the polls is going to be marked by a clear vindication of management that has been carried out for all these years. This applies to all fields, including health. The Andalusian Government feels that the opposition missed their chance.

Date

The date of the community debate was announced by the government spokeswoman on the same day that the ‘Mascarillas case’, which involves the leadership of the PP in Almería, broke out in Almería, a sign that Moreno had no intention of hiding in the face of this affair either.

In order to implement this strategy, he did not avoid the health issue, which has been the source of the greatest concern for him, but instead made it the central theme of his speech. First, to highlight the 100 new infrastructures for health built during his presidency, the vaccination programme (one the most extensive in Spain), and the extension of screening programs, the investment in oncology, the implementation new systems for cancer treatments, and the reduction of surgical waiting lists that are four times as long in Spain. Also, to mention the crisis of breast cancer screening, and ensure that this program, with the Junta’s response, has been strengthened “with additional services, more assistance and more sensitivity”.

Outright lie

The president referred also to the accusations made by the left about privatisation to say that this was “a categorical and catagorical lie, an enormous swindle”.

His first speech, which lasted two hours, was a profuse assessment of his management of the Junta de Andalucía, in which he did not refer exclusively to the current year or the current term of office, but to the almost seven years he has been president.

In his speech, the President addressed all aspects of management, and criticized what he perceived as the continued discrimination of the government against Andalusia. The vice-president, the finance minister, and the socialist candidate for Andalusia were the targets of criticism. The Minister of Finance, and the parties who support her, have abandoned their defence of Andalusia. They are betraying Andalusians”, Moreno said. He also criticized the absence of the Socialist Leader in the debate.

The tone with which Moreno confronted the various groups in an unmistakable pre-election environment was striking.

Hostility

The most hostile was the Socialist spokesperson, María Márquez, who went so far as to accuse the Junta de Andalucía of exercising institutional violence against the Amama association and of having turned Andalusians into clients, and the president of hiding behind a false façade of being clean and moderate. Different members of the Socialist Group were repeatedly warned by the president of the Parliament, Jesús Aguirre, for interrupting Moreno during his speech.

Márquez’s intervention took place minutes after it became known that José Luis Ábalos and Koldo García had entered prison, a matter to which the president of the Junta alluded in his response, ironically advising the Socialist MPs to remain calm and not to let themselves be overcome by anguish.

Márquez warned Juanma Moreno that his opportunity “has passed”, because “Andalusia has become too big for him” and “needs a new era”. According to her, Moreno was “the president who rolled and did monologues”. “Reality has dismantled his promises”, said socialist spokeswoman. She also accused Moreno of having done “whatever” he wanted using his absolute majorit.

The other two left-wing groups, Por Andalucía and Adelante Andalucía, also criticised the health service and the alleged process of privatisation of this service which, in their opinion, is being promoted by the Andalusian government.

The spokesperson for Por Andalucía, Inmaculada Nieto, assured that Andalusia is in suspense because Juanma Moreno, “is only dedicated to maintaining tension and noise”. She believes that this is due to his perception of himself as being in a weaker position because of the sieves crisis and corruption. He said that Moreno was not worried about corruption and problems, but that citizens should be informed about them.

José Ignacio García, of Adelanta Andalucía, reproached Moreno for having led an administration in which “he knew nothing of the bad” and that the purpose of this legislature has always been “not to stain Juanma Moreno’s spotless suit” and not to alter “the profident smile”. García quoted Lincoln to warn Moreno that “you can’t fool everyone all the time”.

Moreno’s exchange with Vox’s spokesman Manuel Gavira took on a more moderate tone. Gavira, who had used the same register during recent control sessions, suddenly changed it. He focused his criticism, unlike left-wing spokespeople, not on health but on immigration and employment statistics. His tone was also more conciliatory.

Manuel Gavira criticized Moreno’s legacy, saying that he is leaving “an Andalusia we don’t like at all”. He analyzed his administration from the perspectives of employment, health, housing, political mistrust, and illegal immigration.