The president of the Balearic Islands, Francina Armengol, arriving at the Balearic Parliament.


© Editorial Unit, SA
The president of the Balearic Islands, Francina Armengol, arriving at the Balearic Parliament.

Second public position forced to resign in the Balearic Islands for his position contrary to the health officialdom. Last year he was the Ombudsman for Children for refusing to receive the vaccine because he had personal doubts regarding its effects. Now he has been the island director of the Environment of Mallorca for his critical and sardonic comments on the networks once morest the ‘Covid passport’ and the health measures applied by the Government and by the regional government chaired by Francina Armengol. Josep Manchado, a member of Podemos in the archipelago, has been dismissed by the councilor responsible for the Environment area, Aurora Ribot, also a member of the purple formation, which has governed the autonomous community together with the PSOE since 2019. The already former high public official He has been critical of the requirement of the so-called ‘Covid passport’ in comments made from his personal profile on social networks. From his account he has shown his public support for Novak Djokovic, a tennis player excluded from the Australian open for not having received the vaccine. “Forza Nole, millions of people are with you,” he published in January following learning of the Australian government’s position on the figure of the Serbian athlete. In a sarcastic tone, Manchado also published a photograph of a flock of sheep with the following message: “I promise you that this photo is in Patagonia, that I took it there… that it is not from Palma or Spain these days” . The Consell has informed him today of his dismissal alleging “loss of confidence” and “political discrepancies”. In reality, the decision comes following his opinions were picked up by the local press, since he has publicly maintained this position for weeks. The Government of Armengol has been inflexible with public officials that do not follow its health policy, as was the case with the former defender of minors, Serafín Carballo, who was forced to leave his position in June 2021 for refusing to receive the vaccine alleging that it was a personal decision due to lack of information and not an exhaustive position once morest vaccines. In an interview granted this morning to the regional radio program ‘Al Día’, Manchado said that he expected his expulsion since “Podemos has become a place where you cannot give your opinion or disagree.” In addition, he has said that the requirement of the Covid passport to access public places “has very clear Nazi and fascist reminiscences.” He has wanted to maintain that he is not a denier or anti-vaccine. “I have been fired for thinking differently, for giving a different opinion, for not being a herd.” And he added: “My goodness, what Podemos has finished, what a way to destroy a dream and a utopia in 8 years.” As he explained, he disagrees “with the official line with the passport” and has expressed that for him its massive implementation is “a red line”. “It seems unbelievable to me that a party like Podemos, which is called an assembly party and is left-wing, is supporting a terrible measure that makes children go with their friends and one cannot enter a McDonald’s, or I cannot enter an act of Podemos “, has added.