The PP was skillful in the distribution of municipal powers and was left with the Fallas when it had to close its government agreement with Vox in the Valencia City Council. However, the popular ones had to give in and leave council departments with a high symbolic component such as Festivals and Traditions in the hands of the far-right formation. An area from which the municipal group led by Juanma Badenas tries to mark its own line and bet on that cultural battle that those from Santiago Abascal promote wherever they have an iota of power.
The upcoming celebration of the Three Kings Parade is a good example of this strategy. The Councilor for Festivals and Traditions, Mónica Gil, announced yesterday that the parade on the evening of January 5 will have a more “biblical and liturgical” component. Thus, the second part of the parade will include representations of various passages from the Bible such as the Annunciation, the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, the adoration of the shepherds, the slaughter of the innocents by Herod and the arrival of the Three Wise Men with gold, frankincense and myrrh. “It will be a respectful representation on a special night, to relive the true spirit of Christmas,” stressed Mónica Gil.
In fact, the Vox councilor emphasized, upon arrival at the Valencia City Hall square, their majesties will represent the Adoration of the baby Jesus, a passage that has not been staged for years.
From the secular parade that Compromís advocated with new characters such as Missatgera Caterina or Senyor Carbó, this year we will move on to a more traditional parade where the religious component will once again be the protagonist.
An event where, in addition, there will once again be private companies and which, in its first part, dedicated to traditional stories, literature in Valencian and rondalles will not have a place, as admitted by the Vox councilor. “They will be characters from stories that we all know,” Gil answered questions from the press.
It is evident that the Department of Festivals and Traditions – due to its symbolic component – has become Vox’s best speaker to wage the much-vaunted cultural battle.
Just a few weeks ago there was also a stir at Expojove, the children’s fair held in Valencia during Christmas. Although it now depends on Vox, the PP had already announced the return of the Army and the Civil Guard to the stands of the fair. A presence that caused an altercation when two antimilitarists sprayed pink paint on one of the exposed tanks.
The municipal spokesperson for Vox, Juanma Badenas, did not waste the opportunity to denounce the events and gain that share of screen and media attention that he has been gradually losing as an opposition councilor.
And Vox needs to make noise so as not to be swallowed up by the PP in the institutions. For this reason, the Valencian government is also trying to make itself noticed in the cultural area -Vox controls the Ministry of Culture- by introducing important changes with respect to the management of the previous left-wing government, even in those areas that were functioning.
