The mother of embarrassed Spanish football chief Luis Rubiales has locked herself in a church and has gone on hunger strike in support of her son.
Angeles Bejar demanded an end to the “inhumane witch hunt” after he kissed Spanish player Jenni Hermoso on the lips after their victory at the Women’s World Cup.
Rubiales refused to step down as president of the Spanish football federation, but has been provisionally suspended by the governing body of world football, FIFA.
Bejar, a former hairdresser, has locked herself in the Divina Pastora church in Motril, east of Malaga in southern Spain, and has gone on an indefinite hunger strike, day and night, until ‘justice is served’.
Bejar demanded that Hermoso “tell the truth” after the player insisted the kiss was not consensual, contrary to Rubiales’ account.
The mother of Spanish soccer chief Luis Rubiales (left), Angeles Bejar, has gone on hunger strike at a church to protest what she describes as the “inhumane witch hunt” of her son
At Divina Pastora church in Motril, where the mother of embarrassed Spanish FA president Luis Rubiales has gone on hunger strike over his ‘inhumane’ treatment
Rubiales refused to resign despite outrage after kissing Spanish player Jenni Hermoso
Angeles Bejar has locked herself in the church in the southern Spanish town of Motril
Spanish Football Federation president Rubiales refused to resign amid outrage after kissing Spanish player Jenni Hermoso.
She asked “why are they so cruel to him” and “what’s behind the story” since “he is incapable of harming anyone.”
Rubiales grew up in Motril, in the Andalusia region, and spent a weekend vacationing there. Angeles’ husband is the resort’s former mayor.
It comes as the Spanish Football Federation is holding another urgent meeting over Rubiales.
Luis Rubiales’ cousin Vanesa Ruiz Bejar said on behalf of her family outside the church: “The statement I am about to make is extremely difficult.
My name is Vanesa Ruiz Bejar and I am Luis Rubiales’ cousin.
“There is a campaign of harassment going on that is very unfair.
The mother of ‘Luis’, a very religious person, has sought refuge with God and has started a hunger strike.
“She doesn’t want to leave the church. We all suffer a lot because of what happened to Luis, which doesn’t seem fair to us at all.
“He has already been convicted without trial. It is not normal. We don’t want to be left alone. The facts speak for them, there are videos, there are audio recordings.’
In a direct message to Hermoso, she added, “Jenni, tell the truth.”
“Why did she change her version three times? We have suffered a lot, we have had to leave our homes because of the harassment we suffer.
“We don’t want to be left alone and see justice done, and we want this woman to tell the truth. Jenni, “tell the truth!”
She went on to say that Angeles Bejar, Luis’ mother, was in a very distressed condition, adding, “She is an elderly lady whose health is very fragile and she is suffering a lot.
“She cries all the time, can’t sleep and doesn’t eat.
“The person who spends five minutes with Luis knows that he is a very good person with a big heart. He is a very noble person.’
When asked when Angeles’ hunger strike would continue, she said, referring to Jenni Hermoso, “Until that woman speaks and tells the truth. I’m not saying who’s the bad guy and who’s the good guy, but I just want Jenni to tell the truth.
Rubiales sparked further outrage after footage emerged of him clutching his crotch as he celebrated Spain’s victory near Spain’s Queen Letizia and her 16-year-old daughter.
In a strange speech at an RFEF meeting on Friday, he refused to quit and denounced ‘false feminists’
She insisted she had no idea where Luis was or if he had been able to talk to his mother since she went on hunger strike.
While it was initially reported that Luis’ mother was with a sister, it was later alleged that she was with a sister-in-law.
According to local reports, two priests were in the church with the women. No one at the parish was immediately available for comment.
In a stunning press conference on Friday, Rubiales refused to step down as head of the Spanish Football Federation, lashing out at “false feminism” for a “social assassination” on his reputation.
Rubiales sparked outrage after he kissed Hermoso on the mouth as she stepped forward to collect her medal after Spain’s 1-0 win.
Footage also emerged showing Rubiales grabbing his crotch while standing next to Queen Letizia of Spain and her 16-year-old daughter Princess Infanta Sofia – behavior for which he apologized.
Hermoso has been threatened with legal action by the Spanish football federation after she said she did not consent to the kiss and contested Rubiales’ version of events.
Rubiales also wore Spanish player Athenea del Castillo Beivid during the festivities
Rubiales hugs Spanish player Aitana Bonmati during the award ceremony
Rubiales hugs Alba Redondo during the festivities in Spain after winning the Women’s World Cup
Rubiales claimed that Hermoso “lifted” me up during the festivities and agreed to “a kiss.” “The kiss was the same one I could give to one of my daughters,” Rubiales added.
He was provisionally suspended by FIFA ‘from all football-related activities at national and international level’ and disciplinary proceedings were opened against the 46-year-old.
81 Spanish players – including all 23 who went to the Women’s World Cup – have announced they will not represent their country until Rubiales is removed from office.
The interim president of the Spanish FA (RFEF), Pedro Rocha, has called an “extraordinary and urgent” meeting “to evaluate the situation the federation finds itself in” following Rubiales’ suspension, an RFEF spokesman said on Sunday.
Left-wing Spanish politicians who called it “sexual violence” when footage of the kiss first surfaced are now supported by mainstream commentators in their condemnation of what happened.
The England women’s football team and male players like Andres Iniesta have also criticized Rubiales, who was expected to resign on Friday before insisting that he resist efforts to oust him.