Por Redaccion 
The Junta de Castilla y León has advocated for the autonomous and central governments and their respective parties to work «together» to reverse the situation facing Azucarera, while the PSOE has accused the government of acting «late and poorly» and opting «for passivity and inaction, demonstrating a total lack of involvement» with the workers of Azucarera, who feel «abandoned» by their government.
This was expressed by the Minister of Industry, Commerce and Employment, Leticia García, and the socialist procurator Virginia Jiménez, who questioned the Junta in the Cortes about the actions taken regarding Azucarera, which announced 193 layoffs in the Community on Tuesday. The company will close the La Bañeza plant in the province of León to concentrate all sugar beet processing in the Toro factory (Zamora), while the Miranda de Ebro plant (Burgos) will remain as a sugar refinery in the north.
In this context, the minister, who expressed the Junta’s support and solidarity with the workers of the sugar company present in the Plenary, assured them that they will not be «alone» and reiterated that they have defended farmers, industrial activity, and workers up to now, something they will continue to do.
«We have had to do it out of concern, concern for international markets, for the news, the announcement made this morning by Azucarera, and for the attacks by the Sánchez government on sugar in recent years,» García asserted, explaining that, in a «coordinated» manner, the Agriculture and Industry departments have been in contact with the company and the workers.
She stated that meetings have been held with the employee committees in the affected provinces and they have also been in contact with the Intercenters Committee.
Furthermore, the two ministers met with Azucarera on Tuesday and expressed their rejection of the cessation of industrial activity in La Bañeza and the announced layoffs, while urging the company to «reconsider» the decision and present an «alternative» option.
In addition to appealing to the social and business responsibility of Azucarera, she also requested that the Government of Spain get involved and criticized the responsibility that the PSOE could have applied when the government «attacked the sugar sector» because she believes that the «attacks» and «frivolities» of the PSOE have «consequences.»
DEFENSE OF THE SECTOR
Likewise, the Minister of Industry expressed her surprise that the PSOE, «at this point,» is going to «defend» the sugar sector in Castilla y León and even claim to represent the workers.
«Although it surprises me, you are welcome because after what the Socialist Party has despised agriculture and the sugar sector in Castilla y León,» the minister said, recalling that the central government raised the VAT from 10 to 21 percent on sugary products and «attacked» with specific campaigns. «Sugar kills, sugar is the devil. Those are campaigns by the Sánchez government against sugar,» García said, adding that this situation «also weighs heavily,» as do the conditions of the international markets.
Leticia García insisted that the company has the will to carry out this industrial restructuring that they do not agree with and reiterated that the «attacks» of the socialists on sugar do not help at all, accusing them of not thinking about the families that depend on these crops when they «promote their disappearance.»
Additionally, the minister recalled that the Junta has always supported the sector and worked for the permanence of the agro-industrial complex, so that when sugar factories were closing in Spain, the bulk of the sugar industry remained in Castilla y León, precisely due to the efforts of this Community.
Leticia García criticized that the PSOE maintains its «modus operandi» by attacking the self-employed and blaming the Junta, eliminating trains and then protesting against their removal, or attacking the sugar sector and now coming to its defense.
«Even so, welcome today to the defense of the sugar industry. While we continue working to reverse this decision, take a look at your role in this Azucarera problem and welcome to this help,» added the minister, who concluded that everyone can «join» if it seems good to the PSOE and the Government of Spain to see if they can «reverse this situation of Azucarera.»
ABANDONED WORKERS
For her part, Virginia Jiménez, after showing «support and solidarity» to the company’s workers, criticized that the Junta has not taken any action and as a «result,» the closure of the La Bañeza plant and nearly 200 layoffs have been announced, in addition to the indirect job losses.
«What is indecent and shameful is that President Mañueco, after the news, wants to meet with the representatives of the La Bañeza workers,» said the socialist procurator, adding that the president of the Junta «has had days and has not shown up.»
Furthermore, she stated that the workers of Azucarera «today feel abandoned by their government» and criticized that what they have done is to «disengage» from a problem that threatens more than 600 direct jobs and the future of a strategic industry in rural areas.
Jiménez criticized that, despite the announcement of the ERE by the multinational owner of Azucarera days ago for all plants in Spain, including those in Castilla y León, they waited until this Tuesday to meet with the Toro Employee Committee.
The procurator considers this matter «very serious» because it concerns «territory, employment, and future,» with over 400 permanent positions, 145 discontinuous permanent positions, and «dozens» of temporary positions in rural areas, while she criticized that the Junta’s most «immediate» action was to send a letter to the multinational asking for explanations.
«They reacted late and poorly, choosing to opt for passivity and inaction, demonstrating a total lack of involvement,» added the socialist, who criticized that on May 15, the day of San Isidro Labrador, an «essential» institutional meeting to defend the sector was held in La Bañeza while the Minister of Agriculture, María González Corral, instead of being there, like Leticia García herself, was at a pilgrimage in the province of Ávila, celebrating the patron saint of farmers.
«This is not how you defend agriculture, this is not how you defend workers. That meeting discussed the possibility of this ERE. You have to stand in front of the workers, not behind any saint,» asserted Jiménez, stating that «that is not managing» and their «obligation» was to «act in time, intervene, lead.»
Finally, she rejected the minister’s criticism of the Government of Spain for campaigns against sugar and pointed out that more than one and a half million tons are imported each year. «What is needed is fewer excuses and more commitment,» she added.