A political conflict is intensifying in Extremadura, as regional president María Guardiola issued strong statements about violations of citizens’ voting rights. After two days of silence, she publicly accused those responsible of depriving local residents of their right to vote. According to her, the investigation’s findings are irrelevant, because the crucial issue is the mere fact that ballots have gone missing.
The scandal erupted at the final stage of the election campaign. In the small town of Fuente de Cantos, Badajoz province, 124 ballots were stolen overnight from a post office branch. The incident has sparked heated debate and accusations against the electoral system. Guardiola claimed that “democracy is being stolen right before our eyes” and vowed not to remain silent about what happened. She also filed a complaint with the electoral commission.
Party reactions
The leadership of the Partido Popular immediately backed Guardiola’s position. Other regional leaders, including the president of Valencia, also joined her. They questioned the reliability of the electoral process, even though investigators treated the incident as a regular crime rather than political sabotage.
The postal service has officially confirmed that not only were ballots stolen from the branch, but also 14,000 euros in cash, as well as goods and office supplies. In addition, two more attempts to rob post offices were reported in neighboring towns. Authorities have promised those whose votes were stolen the opportunity to vote again.
The investigation is ongoing
Authorities in Badajoz reported that the case is being investigated as a domestic crime. According to them, similar thefts have occurred before, with money being the main target. Later, the safe containing the ballots was found burned on the outskirts of Talavera la Real. Charred documents were found nearby, which are now being examined by experts—possibly the stolen ballots.
Preliminary data indicates that the safe was opened using specialized equipment resembling a thermal lance. The investigation is ongoing, and it remains unclear whether all the details of the incident can be recovered.
Guardiola’s position
María Guardiola, who had not appeared in public for two days and declined to participate in the final pre-election TV debate, held a press conference in Talayuela—the town with the highest proportion of immigrants in the region. She again emphasized that she sees the incident as an attack on citizens’ right to choose their government. According to her, 124 people have been deprived of the opportunity to express their will, and this should not go unnoticed.
Guardiola noted that she is not directly accusing any party, but called on all politicians to pay attention to the situation. She also stated that she does not expect the incident to affect the outcome of the elections, emphasizing that her goal is the region’s development and effective governance.
Public outcry
Journalists asked why Guardiola did not wait for the official findings of the investigation. She replied that, for her, the mere fact of voters’ rights being violated is more important than the criminals’ motives. In her view, all political groups should have condemned what happened.
When asked about the televised debates, Guardiola admitted that she had not watched them and did not regret it. Meanwhile, the investigation is ongoing, and political tensions over the stolen ballots remain high.
