Madrid
A Spanish judge has expanded the number of those implicated in a corruption investigation centered on alleged fraudulent contracts awarded during the tenure of former Almería province president Javier Aureliano García to 43, according to recent reports. The investigation, which centers on irregularities in public contracts, has led to increased scrutiny of officials within the province’s government. This case underscores the ongoing efforts to combat corruption within Spanish public institutions.
The judge’s decision follows reports from the UCO, Spain’s anti-corruption unit, which indicate three ongoing lines of inquiry. The first focuses on a contract allegedly rigged for the purchase of face masks during the pandemic, a deal that reportedly cost the province more than 2 million euros. Investigators are likewise examining public works projects awarded to two companies for a combined value exceeding 1.5 million euros, which they believe were also improperly secured.
Authorities are investigating additional contract awards that could further increase the total value of potentially fraudulent public spending. The third line of inquiry centers on alleged payments made in exchange for these contract awards, potentially implicating former members of the province’s governing Popular Party, including García, former Vice President Fernando Giménez, and former councilor Óscar Liria.
The UCO has also submitted a report detailing a trip purportedly taken by García to Madrid for a conference hosted by the Spanish Federation of Municipalities. The trip, which cost nearly 2,000 euros and was paid for by the federation, also included a dinner costing almost 400 euros. However, investigators found no record of García attending any meetings at the federation’s headquarters during the 36 hours he was in the capital, leading them to characterize the trip as “personal” rather than work-related.
