The former president's remarks, in which he argued that good financing for Catalonia benefits all of Spain, including Andalucía, have been labeled by Jaén Merece Más as «inappropriate, indecent, and completely out of place».
“"Zapatero boasted about the funding he claims Catalonia deserves right here in Jaén, the epicenter of investment and infrastructure deficits. It is completely absurd to come to Jaén to brag about this, and it is a disservice that the socialist candidate for the Junta de Andalucía and the PSOE of Jaén have endorsed such statements. Clearly, they showed no political foresight and zero tact with the people of Jaén."
The provincialist group highlighted the paradox of defending the Catalan financial agreement in a province historically underfunded and neglected in terms of investment. They reiterated the need to improve the province's railway network to reduce travel times to Madrid, Córdoba, Sevilla, and Cádiz.
An annual report by the Circle of Andalusian Construction, Consulting, and Public Works Companies (CEACOP), cited by the party, confirms that Jaén consistently ranks last in investments and public works execution, regardless of the ruling party, whether it be the Junta de Andalucía or the Government of Spain.
Jaén Merece Más aims to secure a seat in the upcoming Andalusian elections to end what it perceives as the «historic neglect and abandonment» of the province by the two main parties. The group has urged political leaders to fight for what is owed to provinces like Jaén and for the equality of all Spaniards.
