The Central Operational Unit (UCO) of the Civil Guard has arrested Tuesday the president of the Diputación de Almería, Javier A. García (PP); the vice president, Fernando Giménez (PP); and the mayor of Fines, Rodrigo Sánchez (PP), in an operation that has surprised the entire province. The arrests were made early this morning and the agents plan to carry out searches in several homes, according to sources close to the case told EFE.
Although the specific crimes behind the arrests have not yet been detailed, the operation takes place in the midst of the progress of the investigation known as the ‘Mascarillas’ case, which examines alleged illegal commissions in public contracts awarded during the pandemic.
The ‘Mascarillas’ case, the backdrop
The vice-president Fernando Giménez and the mayor Rodrigo Sánchez were already under judicial investigation for this case, which analyzes contracts for the supply of sanitary material processed by the Diputación in the most critical months of the covid. At the center of the case is a file valued at 2.03 million euros.
At the beginning of this month, the PSOE -which exercises the popular accusation- requested that the provincial president, Javier A. García, be called to testify, alleging new contradictions: the party pointed out “the lack of concordance between the statements of witnesses and those investigated” and relied on recent data provided by the UCO in an attestation of April 25.
What the PSOE demanded clarification
The Socialists demanded that García explain when, how and from whom he had knowledge of the negotiations and awards under investigation, considering him ultimately responsible for the signing of the contract under suspicion. The aim was to determine whether there were indications of prevarication, bribery, influence peddling, embezzlement, fraud, illegal exactions or prohibited negotiations.
In addition, the PSOE asked the council to provide the list of advisors to the president between March 2020 and March 2022, detailing functions and assignment. It also requested to identify the members assigned to the area of the then deputy Óscar Liria and the current vice president Fernando Giménez, both investigated.
A chat that fueled suspicions
Among the documentation mentioned by the socialists were messages belonging to a messaging group called “Naranjito”, in which, according to the record, Javier A. García, Óscar Liria and Fernando Giménez would have participated. One of these messages is literally included in the statement, in which García writes: “Óscar, you’ve made a mess with the masks (…) shut up!
For the PSOE, this exchange “shows a direct knowledge of the facts” and justified the full incorporation of the chat to the case. In this context, the arrest of the president and the provincial vice-president acquires an even more relevant political and judicial dimension.
Searches, arrests and a case in full swing
During the morning, the UCO plans to continue with the searches while it is being clarified whether the arrests are directly linked to the ‘Mascarillas’ case or to other lines of investigation. For now, the authorities have not detailed the specific facts attributed to each of the detainees.
What is confirmed by the sources consulted is that the arrests took place at a key moment, when the judicial investigation was moving towards new proceedings and with the pressure of the popular accusation asking for the extension of responsibilities.
A crisis with immediate political impact
The arrests fully affect the leadership of the Popular Party in Almeria: Javier A. Garcia is not only president of the Provincial Council, but also president of the provincial PP. His arrest is a political earthquake that anticipates internal and external consequences within the party.
Meanwhile, the judicial investigation continues to advance, driven by the activity of the UCO and by the attestations that continue to provide data on the contracts investigated during the pandemic.
With the three charges in custody, searches underway and a case reactivated, the case is entering a decisive phase that could completely change the political map of the province.
