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 Stays Quiet
What becomes most striking is not just the lack of any request for repayment, but the institution’s complete silence.
Since the conviction was disclosed, the Provincial Council led by Raquel del Puerto has not indicated whether it plans to take legal steps to recover the funds or clarified its position on the new legal efforts 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 absence of clarification has intensified criticism from those who argue that every public administration is obliged to safeguard taxpayers’ funds, no matter which political party is in charge.
The Court of Auditors Intervenes
Tribunal de Cuentas), urging the institution to assess whether more than €340,000 paid to David Sánchez during his tenure at the Provincial Council of Badajoz could be reclaimed. The organization maintains that public resources must be safeguarded whenever the administration incurs a financial loss.The Court of Auditors must now assess whether the legal conditions are in place to require repayment of those funds.
Transparency and Accountability
Beyond the judicial outcome of this initiative, there remains a political issue that is difficult to ignore.
Thousands of residents of Extremadura face a heavy tax burden while public administrations continue to ask families and businesses to make financial sacrifices. In that context, it is understandable that many citizens expect any public money whose payment has been questioned in court to become, at the very least, the subject of a serious effort to recover it whenever the legal framework allows.
For this reason, the President of the Provincial Council, Raquel del Puerto Carrasco, ought to clearly present the institution’s official stance, stating whether it aims to reclaim public funds, believes there is no legal foundation for such action, or simply intends to remain inactive.
Institutional transparency is not only about managing public resources; it is also about being accountable when those resources come under public scrutiny.
As long as those explanations remain absent, silence will persist where political accountability ought to stand.
