The stench of corruption has once again reared its head in Orihuela, tarnishing the name, image, and reputation of Orihuela Costa due to the greed of its mayors. This shameful legacy has made Orihuela infamous as the municipality with the highest number of mayors charged with crimes, a dubious distinction that brings disgrace to Spain.
While it’s true that everyone is innocent until proven guilty, the prosecution clearly has enough evidence to demand a seven-year prison sentence and a five-year suspension from office for the current mayor.
Yet, for Orihuela, this seems to be just another day at the office—a badge of dishonor worn without shame. The accused strut around as if untouchable, leaving residents asking: What will coalition leader Sr. Mestre and his party do now? Sr. Mestre himself declared before the last election, “It cannot be that Orihuela has had so many mayors with judicial problems!”
Honesty, integrity, and accountability—these are the principles that should guide any government. But in Orihuela, these values have been cast aside by a political machine infected with self-serving greed.
Now, the Partido Popular (PP) has initiated disciplinary proceedings against the current mayor following the opening of oral trial proceedings. According to party statutes, this is required for any public officeholder facing criminal charges.
PPCV Secretary-General Juanfran Pérez has reiterated the presumption of innocence, but even the previous mayor, Sr. Bascuñana, did not achieve this level of notoriety. Mayor Vegara has taken it to a new low.
Vegara seems have resorted to legal loopholes to avoid facing justice, appearing in court without a defence attorney, causing his trial—over alleged document forgery and two crimes against the public treasury—to be delayed. Such behaviour does not inspire confidence in his claims of innocence. As many residents have noted, a person with nothing to hide does not seek to prolong their trial.
It’s outrageous that Orihuela’s image and governance remain in the hands of someone who appears to mock the judicial system. The fact that the last four Partido Popular mayors have all been charged or convicted of corruption is both shocking and unacceptable. These politicians smile as they take taxpayers’ money while offering little in return. They lack shame, morality, and even a shred of humility.
Everything Mayor Vegara has touched must now be subjected to full transparency and scrutiny. Before the last election, the PP’s General Secretary personally confronted Vegara about these issues. His response? He claimed ignorance, insisting his lawyer had assured him the matter was closed and there was nothing to worry about. How wrong and arrogant he was.
So how can it be acceptable that none of the four most recent PP mayors of Orihuela have ever completed a term without being charged or convicted of corruption?
