Arrest of Alcaucin Mayor: Another Opportunistic Action?

February 28th, 2009

Yesterday morning saw the arrest of the mayor of Alcaucin, his 2 daughters and several other persons in connection to an alleged corruption case involving illegal constructions. The arrest took place a few days prior to the regional elections in the Basque country and Galicia and although the main suspect is of Socialist affiliation it does seem that the Government may have wanted to set an example within their own ranks and play down the accusations of bias for previous police actions against municipalities governed by non-socialist parties (in Marbella, Alhaurin and in Madrid just recently).

It appears that some some 4 developments and an undetermined number of houses are in the epicenter of the investigations for having obtained planning permission ilegally although no confirmation has yet been released.

What is surprising is that the Junta de Andalucia did not take action before as they did in other villages and pueblos in respect of ´abnormal´ licenses (Coin, Mijas, Gaucin), following normal legal administrative channels, but rather preferred that the Guardia Civil proceeded to mount an anti-terrorist operation very much geared for public consumption.