Overview
- Guardia Civil’s UCO detained provincial president Javier Aureliano García, vice president Fernando Giménez and Fines mayor Rodrigo Sánchez Simón in the second phase of the Caso Mascarillas.
- The trio were later released under precautionary measures after García spent 48 hours in custody, and all are under formal investigation for bribery, embezzlement, money laundering, influence peddling and corruption in public procurement.
- The Andalusian PP suspended the implicated leaders’ membership, García resigned his posts, Ángel Escobar assumed the Diputación presidency on an interim basis, and Ramón Fernández-Pacheco was tapped to lead the provincial party pending a board meeting Monday.
- Judicial instruction now extends to Diputación contracts from 2016 to 2021, broadening a case that began with alleged kickbacks in pandemic supply deals.
- Juanma Moreno said the party believed the original case lacked substance, a stance now reversed as the regional leadership takes direct control of the provincial organization.