Gerardo Cuerva: "Yolanda Díaz doesn't want me to preside over Cepyme"

Gerardo Cuerva (Granada, 1971) believes Antonio Garamendi wants Ceypme to have no voice of its own, to be subjugated to the dictates of the large employers' association of which it is a member, CEOE. This self-imposed discourse, Cuerva believes, is the reason why Garamendi supports an alternative candidate to the Granada native to preside over Ceypme, championed by Ángela de Miguel, the head of CEOE in Valladolid. Ten days before the elections to the SME employers' association , the Granada businessman speaks to EL PAÍS.

Question: You accuse the CEOE of doing things wrong, but you didn't openly complain until they set up an alternative candidate for you. Why didn't you do so before?

Answer: Because I believe in unified business action. Let no one claim I'm here to undermine the unity between CEOE and Cepyme. That's absolutely false. I'm not a member of the CEOE; I'm a true CEOE. Of course, I will defend the interests of SMEs because that's the model of unity we've chosen. Within the CEOE, some misunderstand that defending the interests of SMEs means being against the CEOE. I'm saying this now because someone wants to silence the voice of SMEs.

Q. Who?

A. Antonio [Garamendi] has clearly stated: he wants a civil servant for Cepyme who works eight hours a day, five days a week, and who is at his command. That goes against the spirit of the organization. Two people have publicly and repeatedly stated that they don't want me to be president of Cepyme: the president of CEOE and the second vice president of the government, Yolanda Díaz.

Q. Has Díaz told you that personally?

A. It's been leaked on many occasions. I know that in some forums he's even said it, or that the agreements aren't being signed because of Gerardo, who's an intransigent. What I'm not is submissive, sorry.

Q. Perhaps other members of the government, perhaps the Minister of Economy, would prefer you to continue leading Cepyme.

A. Minister Carlos Cuerpo is deeply sensitive to Spanish small and medium-sized businesses. I don't have many disagreements with him when we address different approaches. I find the Ministry of Economy to be completely open to listening to the demands of the business world. I don't find that kind of rapport in the Ministry of Labor.

Q. Did you seek the support of Isabel Díaz Ayuso , who recently introduced and praised you at a news breakfast?

R. Ayuso was kind enough to introduce me at a breakfast, but that doesn't mean I have a preference for any politician. Although I do appreciate the presence of politicians who share my principles of empowering the business world and defending entrepreneurs . I wish the Prime Minister shared that sentiment and expressed it publicly. I wish the Second Vice President of the Government, Yolanda Díaz, would say the things Isabel Díaz Ayuso says. I'd be delighted.

Q. You say that employers' associations should have an ideology, but not a political party. Do you think Garamendi has brought the CEOE too close to the PP?

A. I'm not going to judge what Antonio has in mind or what he's done with his decisions. I reaffirm that we have to negotiate and be with the government that the Spanish people decide on. But we can't renounce what we believe and what we hold dear: that the system that works for private activity is not communism, but liberalism. And if they want someone subservient to the government, the current one or any other, don't vote for Gerardo Cuerva.

Q. Following your logic, if Ángela De Miguel wins, SMEs will no longer be well represented. Would they then be right to seek representation from other stakeholders, such as Pimec or Conpymes?

A. I don't promote, provoke, or encourage that. As one of my seniors in the association world taught me, "kicks are fired from within the kiosk." This means that it's not fair for me to say, "I don't like this association, so I'll leave and create another one." The association world isn't built that way.

Q. Does it make sense for Cepyme to be part of CEOE? The interests of large companies often don't coincide with those of SMEs.

A. There's a unified business model, and I'm not here to change that, unless it's a request or a debate has been opened within the organization. And none of that has happened. If someone wants to change the model, they shouldn't do it behind the scenes; they should put it on the table and we can discuss it like adults.

Q. Would you be in favor of addressing this debate? Don't you think a Cepyme outside of CEOE would better defend the interests of small businesses?

A. I haven't considered it because it's not the right time now. What's needed is to defend the interests of small and medium-sized enterprises within the CEOE.

Q. Do you think you're going to win?

A. With the numbers on the table, I see today that I can easily win this project. Although as the elections approach , the level of pressure from the other side also increases proportionally. Still, I'm convinced that small and medium-sized businesses are on our side.

Q. By pressure from the other side, do you mean calls from CEOE to SME organizations?

A. That's right. And clearly and evidently. But I won't go into the details. I deeply regret this interference in a process that I believe should be democratic and fair.

Q. Could you state clearly that neither you nor anyone on your team has made these kinds of calls asking for votes, or that any possible dirty laundry from your opponent and his entourage has not been investigated?

A. I can say it in front of a notary and a judge. Never, never.

Q. If you lose on the 20th, will you leave Cepyme to continue defending employer interests outside of that sphere, or will you run for the CEOE presidency next year?

A. I don't contemplate losing. But, in any case, what they won't be able to silence is the voice of SMEs. And I will work to ensure that within the CEOE there is a firm, clear, and unwavering voice in defense of small and medium-sized businesses. And I will continue to do so as long as my strength allows.

Q. Within CEOE?

R. I'm not in this war now.

Q. From your opponent's orbit, it's being reported that this battle is taking place because his true aspiration is to run for the CEOE presidency...

R. Look, that's not true. I told the CEOE president that if this was a people problem, I'd leave. What can't be touched here are the SMEs.