Partido Popular investigates Torrox councillor following racist comments about migrants

The Partido Popular (PP) in Malaga province has opened an investigation into Torrox’s PP councillor for culture and popular traditions, Salvador Escudero, following his controversial comments to Radio Torrox last week.

His comments were in relation to the 240 African migrants who were taken to a hotel in El Morche by the central government after their arrival in the Canary Islands. Escudero compared the migrants to “animals” and said: "We don't know if they are going to steal a car, it's like putting a time bomb on you".

The secretary general of Malaga’s PP, José Ramón Carmona, told SUR on Monday 30 October that an internal decision will be taken over Escudero’s future and added, “These are totally unacceptable words, which do not fit in with the position of the PP".

Carmona said that at the moment he did not know what the investigation would lead to or whether it would entail disciplinary measures, such as Escudero being expelled from the party or being asked to resign as councillor. However, Carmona added that Escudero’s "immediate apology" would be taken into account.

The socialist PSOE and IU parties have called for Escudero’s resignation and/or immediate dismissal, as have other organisations such as Málaga Acoge and the Andalucía Acoge Federation, who have also filed complaints to the Public Prosecutor's Office for an alleged hate crime.