Puente rewards the lawyer who defended him for his vacation on a businessman’s yacht

José Luis Ábalos he opened the box of thunder. Hurt by the investigation that affects the purchase of masks for him originated from The case of Koldothe former minister has fired his successor. The former socialist leader remembers that Oscar Puente appeared a few years ago in some pictures spending the summer on a yacht paid for by a businessman called the Valladolid City Council He bought medical supplies against Covid months before. An association filed a complaint against the then mayor and entrusted the defense to the city’s legal counsel, led by Rafael Guerra, which he just promoted as number three of the Ministry of Transport.

Puente and one of her daughters enjoyed a vacation in Ibiza and Formentera in September 2020 in luxury yacht paid for by businessman Sergio Zaitegui. A few months earlier, the Valladolid City Council had awarded him a contract through the emergency process for more than 195,000 euros. The Association of European Lawyers Pro Lege filed a complaint against the Minister of Transport for alleged bribery crime, although the case ended up being dismissed.

The owner of the Court of Directors number 6 of ValladolidMaría Teresa Javato, investigating the case in May 2021. How it went OKDiarioPuente got the Full Council to authorize “Provision of legal aid requested by the mayor of Valladolid”. He refused to hire a lawyer and used municipal services, claiming that The protest was against the ordinance approved by the City Council to award Zaiglobal Services, a Zaitegui company.

Complaint against Puente

The lawyers consulted with THE WORK explain that this practice could be the result of an alleged crime, since the Organic Law of General Electoral Government (LOREG) prohibits public officials from using Administration resources for private purposes. In addition, Article 11 of the Law on the Inadequacy of employees in the Public Administration service prohibiting officials from performing the same functions in the private sphere.

“The workers included in its scope of application You will not be able to carry out private activities, either by yourself or by proxy, including professional activities.whether by themselves or under the dependence or service of organizations or individuals directly connected with those who made the department, organization or entity where they were assigned,” the rule requires. Experts insisting that Puente attended that holiday as an individual, not as mayor, and that the person should be separated from the situation.

The move surprised the European Pro Lege Lawyers Association. “We are protesting against Puente in a personal capacity, not as mayor. “identifying sources from the group. The current Minister of Transport was acquitted of the case, but not without avoiding controversy, as he was the judge he fell to. She had to avoid it because she was her sister-in-law.. The plaintiffs filed an appeal with the Regional Court of Valladolidwho even ordered them to pay the costs.

“Puente has a big hand here because he has several relatives in the judiciary”requests from the Association of European Jurists Pro Lege. Guerra barely had to dedicate a few months to his defense. The Minister of Transport has just rewarded him by appointing him as Under Secretary. It will be replaced as number three from the department to Jesus Manuel Gomezwhich is just concluded by “loss of trust”. The other leader who was struck down is Michaux Miranda, Adif’s chief of staff. Both are accused in the The case of Koldo.

Relationship with the businessman

The case against the then mayor of Valladolid was filed in October 2021. Judge Elena López Negrete considered it qualified «an unstable relationship of friendship between Zaitegui and Puente “which dates back to times before the aforementioned administrative contract.” The judge held that it could not be proven that he was the businessman “hosted because of his public role” to the minister now, because his presence on the ship answered his “close relationship”.

Puente consulted on the situation with the city auditor, who responded with the special circumstances resulting from the epidemic It was appropriate to make the contract by forced means. Zaitegui himself admitted that he was friends with the mayor at the time five years before the controversial holiday. He mentioned meetings in private homes, family meals and various activities. in places such as Marbella or Baqueira before the contract was awarded for more than 195,000 euros.

The sister-in-law

The legal order indicated that it was only that friendship that allowed Puente to talk to the businessman “give him a hand” with the purchase of medical supplies in a situation of shortage. “As things stand, there is no cover for the fault which the popular accusation denies”concluded López Negrete. The magistrate took charge of the case after María Teresa Javato, who was opening the proceedings, abstained because she was her sister-in-law.

“Oscar Puente is the brother-in-law of my brother Manuel Javato, who is married to Óscar Puente’s only sisterSofía Puente,” said the judge in order. In this way, he asked him to separate himself from the cause by “almost a family relationshipwith countless family events and celebrations shared over time. The sources consulted claim that the congressman is signing Guerra with the intention “bunker” the ministry.

Guerra, graduated in law from University of Valladolidjoined the Association of Community Lawyers of Castilla y León in 1995 with opposition, where he has been the chief lawyer in several ministries for two decades. From October 5, 2015 until now, he has been in the position of director of the Legal Department of Valladolid City Council. It came just a few months after Puente became mayor.

On Friday, the PP asked Puente to request an investigation of the Ministry of Industry and Economy for “the favorable treatment he claims to have received Sergio Zaitegui, the same person who paid the current Minister of Transport for a luxury holiday in Ibiza in 2020. As reported The Debate, The businessman would have received 8.8 million euros from these sectors a few months ago regarding public subsidies.