Pedro Casares, who serves as both the Government Delegate in Cantabria and the regional general secretary of the PSOE, has filed a formal complaint against David Setién, a councilor from the People's Party (PP) in Ruesga. The incident reportedly took place on Sunday during an official visit by Casares to a livestock fair in the municipality of 800 inhabitants. According to the socialist leader, Setién slapped him after criticizing the PSOE's stance on wolf protection measures.
The conflict stems from political disagreements regarding wildlife management. Last year, socialists submitted objections to the draft decree for the Wolf Management Plan created by the regional government. They argued that the plan contained inadequate and insufficient provisions to ensure sustainable coexistence between the Iberian wolf and livestock in Cantabria. Casares filed the complaint on Monday at the Civil Guard headquarters following recommendations from law enforcement officials. Sources indicate that a bodyguard accompanying the delegate had to intervene during the altercation, and this intervention will be included in the official report.
The Government Delegation has issued a statement condemning the incident as a serious disruption of democratic coexistence and respect for political plurality. The communication asserts that violence has no place in a democratic society under any circumstances. Setién, who is the accused councilor, was the PP's municipal candidate in the 2023 elections. In those polls, the Regionalist Party of Cantabria retained the mayoralty with four seats, one more than the People's Party, while the PSOE failed to secure representation.
This event follows a previous attack on the PSOE headquarters in Santander in 2025. During that incident, which occurred while the venue hosted a conference on democratic memory attended by over fifty people, an affiliate managed to remove bottles containing flammable liquid before they exploded, preventing injuries. The Public Prosecutor's Office is seeking prison sentences of up to 19 years for the far-right individuals processed in that case. According to the prosecution, the two suspects, Miguel Toribio and René Odriozola, conspired to attack socialists for ideological reasons. The investigation has linked both men to Falange, with one being the son of a PP mayor from a town in Cantabria.
Sources: El País Portada.