Angeles Bejar, the mother of Luis Rubiales, the embattled chief of Spanish football, has taken a dramatic step in support of her son.
She has chosen to lock herself inside a local church and declare a hunger strike.
Her protest is aimed at what she sees as her son’s “inhumane treatment” in the wake of an unsolicited kiss he gave to World Cup winner Jenni Hermoso.
Bejar’s hunger strike, as reported by EFE news agency, is intended to continue “until a solution is found to the inhumane and bloody hunt they are carrying out against my son with something he does not deserve.”
The suspension of Rubiales by FIFA due to the incident has prompted this extreme response from his mother.
The incident in question took place during the awards ceremony following Spain’s World Cup victory in Sydney.
Rubiales had kissed national team star Jenni Hermoso on the mouth, an action that has since sparked controversy.
Bejar has chosen the parish church of Divina Pastora in Motril, Rubiales’ hometown in southern Spain, as the site of her protest.
Interestingly, Bejar has also directed her message towards Hermoso, urging her to “tell the truth and stick to the version she gave at the beginning.”
She asserts that there was consent from both sides and that the images provide evidence of this. Bejar’s conviction in her son’s innocence is steadfast, as she questions the motivations behind the backlash he is facing.
Bejar’s statements emphasize that her son is “incapable of hurting anyone.
” In contrast to the widespread condemnation, Rubiales has remained defiant, characterizing the kiss as consensual.
Despite expectations that he might step down from his position at a federation meeting, Rubiales chose not to resign.
Instead, he defended his actions, describing the kiss as “spontaneous, mutual, euphoric, and consensual.”
In response to the situation, the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) issued a statement supporting Rubiales.
The statement affirms that Rubiales “will defend himself legally in the competent bodies” to establish his innocence.
However, Jenni Hermoso has maintained that she did not consent to the kiss and felt “vulnerable and the victim of an aggression.”
The situation continues to evolve as Bejar’s hunger strike draws attention to the controversy surrounding the unsolicited kiss and its aftermath.
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