Los artistas de Inaem protestan por la «imposición y derivación» de la cultura: «Es cultura, no esclavitud»

The artists and workers of INAO gathered on Wednesday to protest against the Ministry of Culture to denounce the «imposition and deviation» of the agency and to assert that «it is not garbage» but rather «culture and not slavery.»

The protest included members of the Zarzuela Theater Choir, National Dance Company, and National Ballet in Spain. The workers were represented by the unions CCOO, UGT, and CSIF, who criticized the «imposition» of the authorities in the meetings.

Mario Villoria, spokesperson for CCOO, stated in the media, «The authorities impose things and enforce unilateral interpretations of agreements that have already been signed, sealed, and in effect for a long time. We must not interpret, an agreement is signed and should be applied as is.» He expressed concern about the direction of INAM and criticized their inconsistency in negotiations.

Neftalí Rodríguez, a colleague of Villoria, emphasized that the authorities of INAM do not align with what is necessary. He stressed the importance of respecting agreements and ensuring that positive aspects are not imposed.

Although the unions requested the resignation of Isamay Benavente, artistic director of the Zarzuela Theater, and Miguel Pérez Sierra, a musical director, these demands were not part of the protest. The workers highlighted the need to protect their rights and voiced their opposition to recent actions at the Zarzuela Theater.

CSIF spokesperson, Ángel Núñez, pointed out a regression in workers’ rights and criticized the censorship at the theater. UGT spokesperson, Javier Figueroa, expressed dissatisfaction with the delays in negotiations and predicted a heated confrontation.

While the protest was directed at the Ministry of Culture, Minister Urtasun chaired a plenary session at the National Archaeological Museum in Madrid. The artists and workers of INAM called on Urtasun to listen and emphasized that culture should not be equated with slavery.

During the demonstration, demands for the respect of workers’ rights in public culture were made, and the rejection of the resignations of Benavente and Pérez Sierra was reiterated. The protest concluded with performances by the Zarzuela Theater and other companies, with ongoing strikes planned for the upcoming shows of «La Tabernera del Puerto.»

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FUENTE