In the midst of the pre-campaign for the 17M elections, the Andalusian president, Juan Manuel Moreno Bonilla, continues to use the main fairs and popular traditions as the main electoral platform. After exhibiting himself in the processional parades of almost all the provinces during Holy Week and prolonging his festive idyll at the April Fair in Seville, Moreno has now decided to become a pilgrim, aware that the pilgrimages are the main manifestation of the Andalusian popular heritage.
This Sunday, Moreno visited, as president of the Board, the pilgrimage of the Virgen de la Cabeza de Andújar (Jaén), considered the oldest in Spain and which will celebrate its 800th anniversary next year. There, in the heart of Sierra Morena and before tens of thousands of pilgrims and visitors to this Marian event, Moreno has proclaimed that the “cultural uniqueness and popular fervor” of this manifestation constitutes “one of the greatest expressions” of Andalusia. This, he told Canal Sur, contrasts with the debate around “the national realities of other communities.”
“Here popular fervor is mixed with religious devotion, as happens in so many other expressions of Andalusia, where this union of both things is also manifested. From respect for the other territories of Spain, I defend that Andalusia expresses its traditions and popular fervor in a unique way. And for all this, I believe without a doubt that this pilgrimage is one of its great manifestations,” Moreno later insisted in a statement.
Furthermore, the president has highlighted the importance of joint work between administrations so that the pilgrimage can be celebrated safely: “The environment is beautiful and impressive. It has rained a lot and spring here is lush, green, and it is a privilege. Thousands of people gather and coordination between administrations is essential. What we want is for the people of Andújar and all those who visit us to have an unforgettable and incident-free pilgrimage.”
Finally, Moreno has encouraged participation in this type of popular demonstrations: “Do not stop coming to Andújar. Here you can enjoy many things: the gastronomy, the people and, above all, the fervor and spirituality that takes you to a different space. Everyone who comes here feels something special. It is a unique experience in the world.”
Moreno, who is visiting this popular pilgrimage for the third time, reached the Cerro del Cabezo after the end of the mass and was able to attend the departure of the procession and greet numerous members of the brotherhoods. According to data from the 112 Emergency Center of Andalusia, since last Friday there have been more than 200 incidents recorded in this celebration, the majority due to minor medical attention.
On Saturday, Moreno went to Almería, where he said that it will be a president of his party at the head of the central government who will inaugurate the AVE between Almería and Murcia, given the delays that the works on this infrastructure have dragged on since its current planning. “They are not capable of doing it,” Moreno said at an event, where he regretted that with Mariano Rajoy there was a defined schedule to finish the work in 2023. “The change came and it was paralyzed (…) with the calculations that the technicians are making and the investments that are being made now, it would not arrive until the year 29.” “That is what they have done, no matter how they sell it to us,” he concluded.
The popular candidate questioned the investments by the central government in Andalusia regarding communications infrastructure, energy and hydraulic works for the benefit of farmers, who have suffered “the worst drought in the last 30 or 40 years and have not had any action in this regard,” according to his figures, Europa Press reported.
