Rally Held in Madrid to Support Ayuso After Mexico Visit Scandal. A small rally was held in central Madrid to support Ayuso following her conflict with Mexican authorities. The organizer was unable to attend, and the meeting location was given incorrectly. The demonstration turned out to be largely symbolic.
On Sunday, a rally was held in central Madrid in support of the president of the Community of Madrid, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, sparked by the controversy surrounding her visit to Mexico. According to El País, the event took place near the Mexican embassy on Carrera de San Jerónimo and gathered only nine supporters and seven journalists. The reason was accusations made against Ayuso during her trip, as well as the shortening of her visit due to a conflict with Mexican authorities.
The organizer was Cuban activist Sasha Borrego, but she was unable to attend due to a leg injury. Moreover, there was a mistake in the announcement she circulated: instead of the embassy’s actual address, another one — on Almagro street — was listed, causing confusion among participants. Despite this, several people still came to the embassy building to express their support for Ayuso.
Reaction to the conflict
The rally was a response to events that took place during Ayuso’s visit to Mexico. Upon her return to Madrid, she claimed that there had allegedly been interference from Mexico’s president, Claudia Sheinbaum, which forced her to leave the country earlier than planned. The organizers of the Platino Awards, to which Ayuso had been invited, stated that her participation was canceled due to “unfortunate remarks” about Mexico, while the administration of Xcaret Park, where the ceremony was held, denied any political interference.
Participants and atmosphere
Among those who attended the rally were Nelson Montenegro, who traveled from Guadalajara, as well as several Madrid residents and an elderly couple from Granada. Participants discussed the reasons for the low turnout and voiced dissatisfaction with the way, in their opinion, such events are covered by the media. Some feared that the rally could be used to discredit Ayuso, and some attendees left after television cameras appeared.
Despite its modest scale, the organizer expressed satisfaction by correspondence that the rally had nevertheless taken place, even if only in a symbolic format. According to Borrego, the initiative was personal and not coordinated with Ayuso's team, although she did inform them of her plans.
Context and details
Isabel Díaz Ayuso's visit to Mexico drew sharp criticism after her comments about the country and her public mention of Hernán Cortés. This provoked a negative reaction in Mexican society and among officials. As a result, Ayuso cut her trip from ten days to six and returned to Spain. The rally in Madrid was an attempt to show support for the politician amid an international scandal, but it did not receive wide support.
