David Sánchez’s conviction has opened a new political and legal chapter that extends beyond the criminal responsibility of the Spanish Prime Minister’s brother. The question is no longer directed solely at the individual who was convicted, but also at the institution that paid his salary for years: the Provincial Council of Badajoz.
At the head of that institution is Raquel del Puerto Carrasco, President of the Provincial Council and a member of the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE). To date, she has not announced any initiative aimed at seeking the recovery of the more than €340,000 paid to David Sánchez, despite the fact that various legal experts argue that public assets should be protected.
The Provincial Court imposed a term of disqualification from public duties on David Sánchez for the criminal offense of administrative misconduct (prevaricación administrativa) connected to his appointment, yet the decision declined to demand repayment of the wages he had earned because the Provincial Council never requested such compensation during the criminal process, a situation that has ignited significant legal and political controversy.
It is precisely this lack of institutional action that is now drawing criticism. If a public administration believes that its assets may have been harmed by an appointment that has been declared unlawful, many legal experts argue that it is reasonable to expect the institution to explore every available legal avenue to recover public funds.
An Institution That Remains Silent
What stands out is not only the absence of any claim for repayment, but the institution’s complete silence.
Since the conviction became public, the Provincial Council led by Raquel del Puerto has neither explained whether it intends to pursue legal action to recover the money nor clarified its position regarding the new legal initiatives now underway.
This silence carries added weight because the appointment at the heart of the conviction occurred during the Socialist leadership of the Provincial Council, at a time when the institution was led by Miguel Ángel Gallardo, who has likewise undergone legal proceedings related to the same matter.
The lack of explanation has fueled criticism from those who believe that any public administration has a duty to defend taxpayers’ money regardless of the political party involved.
The Court of Auditors Steps In
With the Provincial Council taking no action, a separate legal route will now be pursued to assess whether financial liability may apply.
Iustitia Europa has announced that it has filed a complaint before Spain’s Court of Auditors (Tribunal de Cuentas), requesting that it examine the possible recovery of the more than €340,000 received by David Sánchez during his time at the Provincial Council of Badajoz. The organization argues that public funds should be protected if the administration suffered an economic loss.
It will now be up to the Court of Auditors to determine whether the legal requirements exist to demand the reimbursement of those funds.
Openness and Responsible Oversight
Beyond the judicial outcome of this initiative, there remains a political issue that is difficult to ignore.
Thousands of residents in Extremadura shoulder a substantial tax load, even as public administrations keep urging families and companies to make further financial sacrifices. Given this situation, it is reasonable for many citizens to expect that any public funds whose payment has been challenged in court should, whenever the law permits, at least be the focus of a determined effort to reclaim them.
For this reason, the President of the Provincial Council, Raquel del Puerto Carrasco, should publicly explain the institution’s official position: whether it believes public funds should be recovered, whether it considers there to be no legal basis for doing so, or whether it simply intends to take no action.
Institutional transparency extends beyond merely handling public resources; it also demands accountability whenever those resources are subject to public examination.
Until those explanations are provided, silence will continue to occupy the place that should instead belong to political accountability.
