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Luis Rubiales mum Angeles Bejar has locked herself in a church and gone on hunger strike over the “inhuman witch-hunt” against her football chief son.
The retired hairdresser is carrying out her protest at the Divina Pastora Church in the Andalucia coastal resort of Motril east of Malaga where the suspended Spanish FA president grew up.
She began her hunger strike on Monday morning accompanied by a sister, 48 hours after her son travelled to Motril for a holiday. Angeles, whose husband is a former mayor of Motril, says she will continue her radical action until father-of-three son Luis receives “justice.”
READ MORE: Spain Women’s coaching team resign in wake of Luis Rubiales kissing World Cup winner
She has also demanded World Cup winner Jenni Hermoso tells the “truth” about the kiss that led to Rubiales’ provisional suspension by Fifa on Friday.
She branded her son’s treatment a “inhumane and bloody witch-hunt" and told Spanish press: “They’re doing to my son something he doesn’t deserve.”
Repeating the version of events outlined by her son in his public defence of his actions, she added: “There’s no sexual aggression because there was consent by both parties. My son is incapable of harming anyone. As a mother I ask everyone for their understanding as this is a situation that could affect anyone.”
The pensioner and her sister are understood to have entered the church after the priest left on Monday morning. It was not immediately clear if police would be called to try to resolve the situation.
Spanish TV presenter Patricia Pardo called the latest development in the Kissgate saga “surreal”.
The Spanish football boss has claimed the kiss after the end of the World Cup final between Spain and England in Sydney just over a week ago was “consensual” but the player insists she never consented to a kiss on the lips.
Left-wing Spanish politicians who branded it “sexual violence” when footage of the kiss first emerged are now being supported by mainstream commentators in condemning what happened.
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The England Women’s football team and male players like Andres Iniesta have also criticised Rubiales, who was expected to resign on Friday before insisting he would fight attempts to oust him.
Rubiales has defended his actions, insisting there were no "bad intentions" involved whilst issuing an apology, though he refused to step down from his post. He claims the kiss was "mutual" and suggested he was being targeted by "false feminists".
He claims he asked Hermoso for "a little kiss", to which he claims she said yes. He also suggested the kiss "was the same I could give one of my daughters".
But Hermoso said in a statement released since: "I felt vulnerable and a victim of an impulse-driven, sexist, out of place act without any consent on my part. I want to make it clear that at no time did the conversation to which Mr. Luis Rubiales refers to in his address take place, and, above all, was his kiss ever consensual. I want to reiterate as I did before that I did not like this incident."
Hermoso is now being represented by FUTPRO, who called for Rubiales to face action for his "unacceptable conduct". The Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) issued a statement defending their president and accusing Hermoso of lying.
All of Spain's coaching staff except manager Jorge Vilda have resigned from their posts in protest, while the RFEF have called an urgent meeting following FIFA's decision to suspend Rubiales.
Luis Rubiales’ cousin Vanesa Ruiz Bejar, speaking on behalf of her family, said outside the church: “The statement I’m about to make is extremely difficult.
“My name is Vanesa Ruiz Bejar and I’m Luis Rubiales’ cousin.
“There’s a campaign of harassment occurring that is very unfair.
“Luis’ mum who is a very religious person has sought refuge in God and started a hunger strike
“She doesn’t want to come out of the church. We are all suffering a lot because of what’s happened to Luis which doesn’t seem at all fair to us.
“He’s been condemned already without being tried. It’s not normal. We won’t to be left alone. The facts speak for them, there are videos, there are audio recordings.”
In a direct message to player Jenni Hermoso, she added: “Jenni, say the truth.’
“Why has she changed her version three times? We have suffered a lot, we have had to leave our homes because of the harassment we’re suffering.
“We won’t 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 Angeles Bejar, Luis’ mum, was in a very distressed state, adding: “She’s an elderly lady whose health is very delicate and she’s suffering a lot.
“She’s crying all time and is not able to sleep and is not eating.
“The person that spends five minutes with Luis knows he’s a really good person with a big heart. He’s a very noble person.”
Asked when Angeles’ hunger strike would continue to, she said referring to Jenni Hermoso: “Until that woman speaks and tells the truth. I’m not saying who’s the baddie and who’s the goodie here, but I just want Jenni to tell the truth.
She insisted she had no idea where Luis was and whether he had been able to speak to his mum since she went on hunger strike.
Although it was initially reported Luis’ mum was with a sister, it was subsequently claimed she was with a sister-in-law.
Local reports said two priests were inside the church with the women. No-one from the parish could immediately be reached for comment.
- World Cup
- Women’s World Cup
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