Muskiz: Mayor alerts on social unrest and neighborhood patrols

Muskiz: The mayor warns of a 'great social alarm' and neighborhood patrols

The mayor of Muskiz did not hesitate to voice what was already being felt on the streets: a 'great social alarm in the municipality' and what he calls a 'small-scale popular rebellion through neighborhood patrols.' The news, shared via a post by the local media @DEIA, highlights a phenomenon that goes beyond local politics to touch on sensitive issues of safety, coexistence, and the integration model in an industrialized municipality like Muskiz, in Biscay.

Election results and Muskiz's political map

To understand the scale of what is happening in Muskiz, one must look at the numbers. The most recent election results offer a clear portrait of a divided municipality, yet with a clear majority. In the 2023 elections, the PSE-EE (PSOE) led the city council with 39.45% of the vote and 6 councilors. The EAJ-PNV trinc closely with 34.63% and 5 councilors. Meanwhile, EH Bildu dropped to 19.72% and 2 councilors, compared to 3 and 20.05% in 2019.

These figures are not just numbers; they are a thermometer of discontent that the traditional political system has been slow to manage. The gap between the first and second parties is narrow but sufficient to maintain an unstable balance. The drop for Bildu, though marginal, reflects a shift in voter priorities, who seem to prioritize safety and coexistence over other historical demands.

The Petronor industry and socioeconomic context

You cannot talk about Muskiz without mentioning Petronor. The refinery is the economic engine, but also the source of constant debates about pollution and quality of life. The smoke and fire emitted by the industry serve as a daily reminder of the municipality's economic dependence. It is paradoxical that, in an environment where heavy industry defines the landscape and economy, citizen safety has become the number one priority for residents.

The tension between the employment offered by the industry and the perception of insecurity caused by certain behaviors creates a perfect breeding ground for neighborhood patrols. Residents do not wait for institutions to act; they act themselves. This is a direct response to what the city hall describes as a 'great social alarm.'

The phenomenon of neighborhood patrols

Neighborhood patrols are not a recent invention, but in Muskiz, they have gained special relevance. They emerge as a citizen response to what is perceived as a lack of institutional effectiveness in addressing incivility. The mayor, by warning of this 'popular rebellion,' implicitly acknowledges that traditional security tools have become obsolete or insufficient.

Some argue that these patrols are necessary to restore safety; against this is the argument that the response should be police-led, not neighborhood-led, to avoid lynchings or disproportions. However, the reality is that residents unite to avoid ending up like troglodytes when incidents become irreversible. It is a form of self-defense that reflects a failure of the coexistence model.

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The surprising fact is not the existence of the patrols, but how quickly they have integrated into the daily life of Muskiz. It is a symptom of a country where safety is privatized, albeit communally, because the State does not guarantee it. Muskiz is just one example, but one of the clearest.