The scandal surrounding allegations against one of Madrid’s leading politicians has taken a new turn after the publication of internal correspondence. For Spanish society, this is not just another conflict — it’s a matter of trust in institutions and how authorities respond to complaints of harassment. Scrutiny of the exchanged emails revealed not only a lack of support for the victim but also attempts at the highest level to cover up the situation.
The letters that changed everything
The Partido Popular (PP) decided to release a chain of emails between the victim and representatives of the Madrid government, hoping to refute the allegations of sexual harassment. However, contrary to their expectations, the content of the correspondence only confirmed the complainant’s statements. The emails made it clear: the Madrid president cited being busy as a reason not to meet with her, and the regional leader’s team delayed addressing the issue and ignored her calls. In one email, the woman openly expresses desperation over the lack of response to her appeals.
During one of the meetings, the PP Madrid deputy secretary, Ana Millán, directly called the situation a ‘classic case of harassment.’ Despite this, the party continued to assert that the emails only referred to a ‘work situation’ and ‘discrimination,’ not to sexual harassment. Yet, the victim’s lawyer, in a letter dated September 23, 2024, clearly pointed out the ‘alleged sexual and/or professional harassment.’
Party reaction and pressure
A power struggle has erupted within the Madrid PP for control of the situation. Advisors to the president sought to discredit the victim, insisting that the government acted properly and merely forwarded the letters to the party. The Madrid PP’s Secretary General, Alfonso Serrano, also argued that such cases should be handled at the national level and not by the regional government, despite the fact that the regional president also heads the party’s local branch.
The allegations came amid a session of the Madrid Assembly, where the regional president dismissed the complaints and accused the central government of orchestrating a ‘fabricated case.’ However, a review of her schedule revealed she had enough time to meet with the victim, casting doubt on the official version.
The history of the conflict
The victim joined the team of the mayor of Móstoles in autumn 2022, taking on a position of responsibility. Over time, she says, the mayor began showing interest that went beyond professional boundaries. After she made it clear she was not interested, she was gradually sidelined and excluded from the circle of trusted associates.
For several months, the woman unsuccessfully sought a response from the party leadership. In October 2024, she resigned and submitted her request to leave the PP. In one letter, her lawyer cites four instances illustrating the party’s inaction. The reply was formal: the messages were simply forwarded through official channels.
Internal discussions
In one of the letters addressed personally to the regional president, the victim complains about the lack of protocol and the disregard for her appeals, despite numerous meetings and written statements. She gives a detailed account of her conversation with the party leadership, which raised suspicions that she might have recorded the discussions.
During the discussion, the deputy secretary and the general secretary of PP Madrid admit that the situation began after the woman refused the mayor’s advances. They urge her not to make the conflict public, citing potential consequences for her family and reputation. They remark, “This is a classic case of harassment,” but advise against going to court to avoid publicity.
Context and Consequences
In recent years, Spain has faced several high-profile cases where complaints of harassment within political organizations were ignored or kept quiet. Such incidents stirred public debate and led to internal investigations, but rarely resulted in real changes to victim protection policies. One recent case comes to mind in a province where, after internal correspondence was leaked, it also emerged that the leadership chose not to intervene in order to avoid a scandal. These events raise questions about the transparency and accountability of political parties, as well as the need to reform response mechanisms for such complaints.
