A high-profile trial over alleged manipulation of municipal contracts for festival organization is underway in Madrid, with former regional government adviser Francisco Granados at its center. At the latest hearing, held Tuesday at the National Court, presiding judge Alfonso Guevara ended the session with a wry remark about the financing of San Isidro festivities by the Partido Popular. His comment drew laughter in the room and became a notable episode in the prolonged proceedings.
The trial began back in January and has become the first major case against Francisco Granados, who previously served as secretary of the Partido Popular in Madrid and was part of Esperanza Aguirre’s team. The focus of the case is suspicions of systematically awarding contracts for municipal festivities to the company Waiter Music, headed by José Luis Huerta. Investigators believe Huerta provided gifts and covered expenses for officials and the Partido Popular itself, in exchange for lucrative contracts from municipalities controlled by the party.
Key defendants and the course of the trial
Alongside Granados in the dock are former senator and regional deputy David Erguido, as well as six former mayors from regional cities: José Carlos Boza and José Miguel Moreno from Valdemoro, Esteban Parro and Daniel Ortiz from Móstoles, María Ángeles Herrera from Ciempozuelos, and Carlos Alberto Estrada from Moraleja de Enmedio. All are accused of participating in a scheme to allocate contracts in favor of Waiter Music between 2004 and 2013.
In recent days, the court has been hearing recordings of interrogations of José Luis Huerta, who passed away five years ago. In his statements, Huerta admitted the existence of the scheme and directly implicated the Partido Popular. These materials have become key for the prosecution and have sparked additional interest in the proceedings.
Pause in hearings and the atmosphere in the courtroom
After three months of sessions, the court announced a break until May 18, coinciding with the end of the San Isidro festivities in Madrid. Judge Alfonso Guevara, known for his tough handling of cases, has once again allowed himself some sharp or ironic remarks. In January, he had already emphasized his independence, stating he would not allow objections from anyone — not the prosecutor, not even the king. Later, he sarcastically commented that he wasn’t sure whether the trial would conclude before his retirement.
Scandals over the allocation of municipal contracts and corruption schemes are not uncommon in Spain. Investigations involving former officials are also ongoing in other regions of the country. For example, a court in Alicante recently held former officials and suspects accountable in a case involving the sale of municipal housing, which was discussed in detail in the report on the investigation into the VPP Les Naus case.
