The public television of the Canary Islands has attempted to address accusations of a lack of plurality received last week. On the political debate program 'La Retranca', hosted by Mayer Trujillo, an empty chair was displayed to symbolize the alleged failure of senator Jose Antonio Valbuena of the PSOE to honor a commitment.
This event occurs in the same program where, the previous week, a regular contributor, Francisco Pomares, called Senator Valbuena "spoiled" for complaining about the show's lack of plurality. This behavior was not censured by the program's management at the time.
In this Thursday's broadcast, Mayer Trujillo held the senator, who represents Tenerife, responsible for not appearing in the studio. He asked Alberto Rodriguez, leader of Drago Canarias, to defend the plurality of 'La Retranca'.
However, Senator Valbuena's and the PSOE's version of events differs significantly. They state that the senator declined the invitation the Friday before the broadcast due to a prior commitment in the Senate, where he presided over the mixed commission on insularity.
According to the PSOE, the controversy is further fueled by the program's production team allegedly altering the intervention format for regional socialist deputy Elena Mañez. Initially invited to attend the debate in person, she was sent a crew to her office on the day of the broadcast for a duplex connection, purportedly to facilitate the filming of the empty chair.
“"Some people are very brave when no one is in front of them to defend themselves! Last Friday, I communicated that yesterday was impossible because I had to preside over the mixed commission on insularity in the Senate."
Senator Valbuena expressed his reaction this Friday on the social network X, denouncing a "dirty trick with an empty chair that was supposedly for me." He added that he had informed them of his inability to attend due to his Senate commitment and shared the notice for that meeting, announcing his intention to appear on the program next Thursday.
