The collateral effects of the Azud case, in which a plot of urban corruption is being investigated, and the judicial situation of Mónica Oltra, pending the decision of the Superior Court of Justice of the Valencian Community on her imputation, have led to a government crisis in the Executive chaired by the socialist Ximo Puig that has resulted in changes in five portfolios.
On the Compromís side, the until now Minister of Education, Vicent Marzà, has left his post to focus on organic tasks with a view to replacing Oltra as a candidate for the Generalitat in the next regional elections. The Court that investigates whether charges from the Ministry of the Vice President tried to cover up the sexual abuse committed by her ex-husband to a minor under guardianship has requested his imputation in the case when detecting criminal evidence.
Oltra has assured that she will remain in her position even if she is called to testify as an investigator. His party, just in case, keeps the option of Marzà as a possible candidate in the chamber, so he leaves the regional government and the Ministry of Education passes into the hands of Raquel Tamarit, a leader related to the spokesman for Compromís in Congress, Joan Baldoví, who represents continuity.
The president of the Generalitat, Ximo Puig, has also been forced to make a move after the departure of his deputy secretary general and spokesman for the socialist group in the Valencian Parliament, Manolo Mata, who has decided to focus on his work as defense attorney for Jaime Febrer , considered by the Civil Guard as the ringleader of the corrupt plot being investigated in the Azud case.
The cause fully splashes the PSPV. In fact, within the framework of it, the deputy delegate of the Government of Pedro Sánchez in the province of Valencia, Rafael Rubio, was arrested and imprisoned, and among those investigated is the person who was the head of Finance of the José Cataluña formation.
Ximo Puig has announced this Saturday the changes that affect socialist positions and has made official the relief for the Compromís quota. Meanwhile, Podemos, third of the partners in the Generalitat, maintains its two positions without modifications.
Thus, one year after the regional elections, provided that Puig does not exercise the power to advance them, the hitherto Minister of Health, Ana Barceló, replaces Mata as spokesperson in the regional Parliament. Her place in the Valencian Government will be occupied by Miguel Mínguez, until now head of the Clinical Hospital service in the Turia capital.
Meanwhile, Arcadi Spain goes from Territorial Policy to Finance and gains weight as Ximo Puig’s “dolphin”. The veteran Vicent Soler leaves office and his new demise could be the Senate and Rebeca Torró takes over from Spain in the area of public works.
Meanwhile, the hitherto senator Josefina Bueno assumes the Ministry of Universities, based in Alicante, replacing Carolina Pascual.
Ximo Puig, who has made no mention of Mata leaving to defend the alleged leader of a corruption plot or Oltra’s legal situation, has defended that the remodeling of the Valencian Government “contributes to promoting economic growth, job creation, the attraction of large strategic projects and the energy transition.
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