• Direct.Coronavirus Spain today, breaking news

The Board of Spokespersons of the Zaragoza City Council approved, unanimously, the files to process the awarding of the medals and distinctions that are awarded each year on the occasion of the Fiestas del Pilar.

Among them, in the official statement distributed this Monday by the Consistory, was the appointment of Fernando Simón as Favorite Son of Zaragoza, proposed by the group from Zaragoza in Common (ZeC), led by Pedro Santisteve, who in the last legislature was mayor from the Aragonese capital.

Said files will have to be ratified in the municipal plenary session scheduled for this Friday.

There is an unwritten pact by which the different municipal groups propose a name for such distinctions and the rest respect it so as not to break unanimity.

Well, on this occasion PP, Citizens and Vox have already announced that they will vote against the proposal, so, having a majority of votes, 16 councilors compared to 15 of the rest of the groups, the appointment of Fernando will not prosper. Simón, an epidemiologist and director of the Center for Health Alerts and Emergencies, known for being the spokesperson for the Ministry of Health in the pandemic, as the Favorite Son of Zaragoza, the city where he was born 56 years ago.

In the proposal file, it was recalled that Simón studied Medicine at the University of Zaragoza;

he specialized in epidemiology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

He completed his studies with the European Training Program in Intervention Epidemiology of the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control before joining the Corps of Titular Physicians of the State of Spain.

As soon as the distinction was known, a certain controversy was generated on social networks and Vox (2 councilors) distanced themselves from the proposal and on their Twitter account wrote: "Vox neither supports nor will it support the distinction to Simón. It is an insult to Zaragoza to name his son favorite of that scoundrel. "

And he announced not only that he would vote against, but that he would absent himself from the plenary session when the praise was read to the winner if it was finally approved.

In addition, the municipal government groups, PP (8) and Cs (6), given the political and social controversy raised by Simón's management of the covid pandemic, have shown their opposition to the recognition and have announced their decision to vote against.

In a tweet, endorsed by the mayor, Jorge Azcón, the PP group wrote: "We consider that he does not meet the professional qualifications and merits necessary to receive that distinction from the City Council."

The vice mayor and spokesperson for Cs, Sara Fernández, said she had "nothing against Simón", but maintains that the recognition "does not represent the feelings of a majority of Zaragozans."

Pedro Santisteve, from ZEC (3), replied that Fernando Simón is "a front-line scientist" and accused PP and Cs of allowing themselves to be "carried away by the extreme right", referring to Vox.

It is assumed that the groups of the PSOE (10) and Podemos (2) support the proposal of recognition of Simón.

This controversy has left in the background the award of the city's Gold Medal, the highest distinction, at the proposal of the mayor, to health professionals for their fight against the coronavirus.

It is justified because "they are the ones who have made, and continue to make, the greatest effort in the face of the pandemic and those who have suffered the highest rate of infection. Health professionals and auxiliary services face the disease in the front line of battle, giving the best of themselves to fulfill their mission, that of saving all possible lives and taking care of the health of all citizens ".

Favorite children will also be named to the Local Police, the victims of the covid-19 and the retailers of the city's markets.

In addition, the singer-songwriter Joaquín Carbonell and the Augustinian bishop Miguel Olaortúa will receive the title of adopted children posthumously.

As the Pilar festivities have been suspended, the distinctions will be delivered in a plenary session to be held next November.

According to the criteria of The Trust Project

Know more

  • Citizens

  • PP

  • Vox

  • Fernando Simon

  • Saragossa

  • PSOE

  • We can

  • Coronavirus

  • Covid 19

  • Aragon

PoliticsThe parties look into the abyss of succumbing to the Covid-19 pandemic

Politics57% of Spaniards do not trust the Government's management to fight the Covid-19 pandemic

Protests in the affected areas encouraged by Podemos and Más Madrid and with Monedero in charge

See links of interest

  • News

  • Translator

  • Programming

  • Horoscope

  • Films

  • Topics

  • Roland Garros: Egor Gerasimov - Rafa Nadal, live

  • Fulham - Aston Villa

  • Bologna - Parma

  • Liverpool - Arsenal