San Bernabé Cemetery in Marbella: A Costly Mistake
José Bernal, a councilor from the Socialist Municipal Group in the Marbella City Council, has expressed his regret over a “new error” in the management of Mayor Ángeles Muñoz. This mistake is set to cost the residents of the municipality nearly four million euros following a “judicial blow” from the Supreme Court regarding the rescue of the cemetery concession.
Mayor’s Mismanagement Questioned
Bernal recalled that the mayor had previously claimed that “everything had been done according to the law”. However, it has now emerged that compensation must be paid to the company from which the management of local cemeteries was taken in 2013. The management was then transferred to companies frequently associated with the activities of the Marbella PP, such as Fernando Moreno and Huete Architects.
Residents Paying the Price
The socialist councilor questioned, “How long are we going to continue paying for the mismanagement of Ángeles Muñoz with the money from the pockets of all the residents?” He rejected the “high price” for citizens, which he believes is due to the mayor’s “desire to benefit her friends”.
Unanswered Questions and Calls for Accountability
Bernal believes that “there are many unknowns to clarify in this matter”, which reminds him of previous issues involving “contracts linked to shady businesses, ‘disappearance’ of municipal files, renewals of public contracts with little guarantees and transparency, etc”. He has called on the mayor to take responsibility and not, as she “always does”, blame “the governments of the GIL or my two years as mayor”.
Increasing Debt and Mismanagement
During his time as mayor, Bernal reminded, the city’s debt to banks was “completely liquidated”. He criticized Muñoz’s 15-year tenure, during which he believes her main interest has been her personal affairs rather than the general ones. This has led the municipality towards “an increasingly unsustainable situation” with a debt that has “skyrocketed in recent years”.
Marbella’s Image at Stake
The socialist councilor described Muñoz’s management as “disastrous”, of which this new judicial setback is “just one more example”. He pointed out the “generalized lack of response” from the PP government team to the “multiple problems of Marbella and San Pedro Alcántara”. The situation, he said, is “desolate” with a series of “adverse judicial failures, skyrocketing debt, an adjustment plan and management that pales in comparison to nearby municipalities with smaller budgets”.
Marbella’s Reputation Damaged
Furthermore, Marbella’s image is being “damaged day by day” as the mayor is constantly in the news for her “links with drug trafficking and money laundering” or the “constant doubts about the origin of her multimillionaire fortune”. Bernal concluded, “Marbella is a wonderful municipality that cannot become a set for television series or movies about corruption, not only because of the past, but because of the management that is done in the present”.
