Pedro Bestard, surrounded by enemies inside and outside Vox

PalmThe second vice-president of the Consell de Mallorca, Pedro Bestard, is a questioned figure both inside and outside Vox. He is estranged from the party's leadership and also from the critical sector that gathers around the figure of Jorge Campos. Furthermore, sources from the island institution confirm that he does not have a good relationship with the far-right island councilors, nor with his team in the Conselleria. "Antoni Gili [Vox spokesperson in the Consell] and he don't speak to each other," assures a knowledgeable source. For this reason, the controversy revealed in recent days about Bestard's alleged improper use of the official car has stirred internal affairs. The spokesperson for the Vox parliamentary group, Manuela Cañadas, criticized on Monday the "parties" that launch "accusations" against him, and some voices within the formation point to the PP for having "magnified" the controversy. But the truth is that Bestard has adversaries within his ranks. If he is now in the spotlight, warn various party sources, it could be as a consequence of internal interests to fuel the controversy. "This has been friendly fire," points out a regional official.

Sources from the officialist sector of Vox insist on holding the PP responsible for the trickle of information that in recent months has affected Vox's image. The truth is that, in the Consell, the government of Llorenç Galmés (PP) is not comfortable (as explained by organic party officials) with Bestard's management, who in addition to the second vice-presidency is the Minister of Environment, Rural Affairs and Sports. As advanced by ARA Balears, the island president has promoted the preparation of two internal reports to find out if Bestard indeed made improper use of the institution's official cars. As published by Última Hora, he would have used them for his personal use or to attend Vox events. Galmés has requested explanations in a meeting with his government partner and has demanded that he correctly label the vehicles with the institution's logo, as well as return them daily to their official parking, where they must spend the night. However, the PP also has an incentive for Bestard to remain in office, and that is his moderate tone (more so than the island group of Vox) and his tendency not to hinder the initiatives promoted by the Popular Party.

Precisely, this affinity with the PP has cost Bestard tensions with the Vox executive, which at the time hired him because, as former president of the Balearic Hunting Association, he attracted "rural votes," assures a voice close to the Vox leadership. When the party leader, Santiago Abascal, decided to break all regional pacts with the PP in July 2024, he found Bestard against him. According to organic sources consulted, the second vice-president internally conveyed the message that he disagreed with that decision and that, moreover, he would be willing to break with the party if ordered to leave the insular government. Shortly after, he resigned from his position in the provincial leadership and made it clear that he was doing so due to dissatisfaction with the party's organic functioning. According to various sources close to the Vox leadership, the executive no longer considers Bestard a trusted figure.

In fact, the relationship with the voice of the leadership in the Consell, Toni Gili, is "broken," as insular institution sources assure. But, despite this, Cañadas closed ranks with Bestard after the controversy over official cars became known, and Vox sources in the Consell have avoided commenting on the matter: they refer to the deputy's statements. "He gets up at 5 a.m., starts at 6 a.m., and sometimes works until 10 p.m., sometimes until 00 hours," the parliamentarian defended last Monday. According to a source in contact with Vox Madrid, the leadership has no "incentives" to "ignite a new internal crisis": "The scope of such a situation is always incalculable." On the other hand, the same source points out that Bestard has a protector in Congress: the deputy for Guadalajara and member of Abascal's inner circle, Ángel López Maraver, former president of the Royal Spanish Hunting Federation.

Jorge Campos, the fear of Vox

Various sources point to another possible fortuitous adversary for Bestard: the Congressman Jorge Campos, leader of the sector originating from Actua Baleares who has confronted the executive. Sources close to Campos claim to be unaware if the congressman could be behind the outbreak of this controversy or, at the very least, fueling its reach internally. Nevertheless, his figure generates fear among various official representatives of the party. "Both he and his inner circle know that they do not have Abascal's trust and could be left out of the lists in the next elections," assures a prominent Vox official: "Eroding the party's top figures in the Islands could give him a position." However, his role in this case is not proven. What numerous sources in Vox do confirm is that Bestard is not short of enemies.