The mother of embattled Spanish soccer federation president Luis Rubiales has embarked on a hunger strike in a church in southern Spain in defense of her son, the BBC reported.
Angeles Bejar reportedly locked herself up in the Divina Pastora church in the coastal town of Motril where Rubiales was raised, BBC reported. Bejar reportedly vowed that the hunger strike would be “indefinite, day and night,” adding that the “inhuman and bloody hunt that they are doing with my son is something he does not deserve.”
“We are suffering a lot for him. He has been judged before his time. They (media) don’t stop harassing us. We had to leave our house. We want them to leave us alone and for Jenni to tell the truth. It’s not fair,” Rubiales’ cousin and family spokesperson Vanessa Ruiz said, according to the BBC. (RELATED: Spanish Soccer Pres Refuses To Resign After Grabbing Crotch In Front Of Royalty, Allegedly Kissing Player Without Consent)
In a desperate move, the mother of Spain’s football chief #ÁngelesBéjar, #LuisRubiales‘ mother, has locked herself in a church in southern #Spain and declared a hunger strike, as prosecutors open an investigation into his conduct. #DivinaPastora #Motril #PoliticalUprising pic.twitter.com/gVJvzVmRXW
— Political Uprising (@Political_Up) August 28, 2023
Ruiz was referring to Jennifer Hermoso, the Spanish forward in the Women’s World Cup-winning team whom Rubiales appeared to kiss during the post-match ceremony. Rubiales later apologized following criticism but refused to resign, claiming the kiss was consensual, a claim Hermoso disputed, the BBC noted.
The Spanish soccer federation accused Hermoso of lying and threatened her and other players with legal action. However, soccer world governing body FIFA intervened, suspending Rubiales, and the entire World Cup-winning coaching staff resigned in protest against Rubiales, the BBC noted. The Spanish government expressed a desire for the protests against Rubiales to be “Spanish football’s MeToo moment” and has opened legal proceedings against the sports executive, per the BBC.
“There has to be a change. The government wants to warn, to be very clear and say that there are things that can’t happen again,” Victor Francos, secretary of sport and head of the state-run National Sports Council, said, the BBC reported.