A high-profile case in Murcia has come to an end, centering on the former head of the regional branch of the Socialist Party (PSOE), José Vélez. He was accused of a series of serious offenses related to organizing festivals and managing municipal funds during his tenure as mayor of Calasparra. However, the trial never began: the judges decided to dismiss the case due to significant procedural delays during the investigation stage.
Alongside Vélez, two former municipal deputies and the owner of the company managing the local bullring were also under investigation. They were implicated in a case involving traditional taurine events held in 2017–2019. Investigators suspected that the city administration paid for services and expenses that benefited a private company, with amounts disbursed from the budget far exceeding the contractual limits.
Despite the seriousness of the accusations, the court did not examine the substance of the case. The main reason for dismissing the proceedings was that the suspects were summoned for questioning more than a year after the investigation had begun. The judges emphasized that such delays contradicted criminal procedure law and violated the defendants’ rights to a proper defense.
Delay in the investigation and its consequences
The investigation began back in the spring of 2021, but the first summons for questioning were only sent out in November 2022. All the individuals involved were identified from the outset, and their whereabouts were never in doubt. The court noted that questioning the suspects is a mandatory step, without which legal proceedings cannot move forward.
Due to such a lengthy delay, the defense demanded the case be dismissed, citing a violation of procedural guarantees. The panel of judges agreed with these arguments and ordered the case closed, emphasizing that the decision is final and cannot be appealed.
Charges and Investigation Details
Velesu and his colleagues were accused of abuse of authority, embezzlement of public funds, and document forgery. Investigators claimed the administration of Calaparra made agreements with a private company managing the bullfighting arena under terms clearly unfavorable to the municipality. In particular, the case concerned inflated payments for organizing festivals and using young bulls (novillos) during traditional bull runs.
The case files also included suspicions of paying invoices not backed by documentation and covering private property expenses with city funds. However, none of these allegations was examined in substance due to procedural violations.
Reactions and Impact on Those Involved
José Vélez, who served as government delegate in Murcia from 2020 to 2023 after his tenure at city hall, left politics in May 2025. His lawyers repeatedly pointed out the protracted investigation and insisted on upholding their client’s rights. Now, following the court’s decision, all defendants have been cleared of responsibility in this case.
The court’s ruling brought an unexpected end to a case that could have become one of the region’s biggest corruption scandals. However, due to procedural errors, none of the incidents were examined on their merits, and those involved in the case avoided trial.
