A judge in Valencia has ordered 38 people, including members of the late mayor Rita Barberá’s family and her closest associates, to stand trial in the long-running ‘caso Azud’ corruption investigation. Barberá’s relatives and former deputy mayor Alfonso Grau face charges over alleged kickbacks and illegal dealings linked to city contracts and urban development projects.
The case, under investigation for years, focuses on a network accused of arranging commissions paid by business figures such as Jaime Febrer. Prosecutors say the payments secured favorable treatment in municipal contracts and urban planning in Valencia and other towns across the Comunidad Valenciana. Information from elDiario.es, the judge moved the case to the pre-trial phase on August 3, 2026, and parties were notified on September 3, 2026.
Three nieces of Rita Barberá, María José, María Rita, and María Asunción Corbín Barberá, are among those formally accused. Others ordered to stand trial include José María Corbí, Barberá’s brother-in-law, and three of her daughters. The defendants also include former high-ranking city officials from the Partido Popular, including Alfonso Grau and Jorge Bellver, as well as Rafael Rubio, who served as the Socialist spokesperson in the Valencia city council and later as a government subdelegate. Information from the Tribunal Superior de Justicia de la Comunidad Valenciana, the accused group includes ex-mayors, lawyers, civil servants, and several businesspeople. Among the defendants are prominent entrepreneurs and former top managers: Carlos Turró (Cleop), Federico Ferrando (Gesfesa/Edifesa), and Vicente Prieto (Secopsa). Their presence illustrates the alleged network’s reach.
The charges concern the final years of Barberá’s long tenure as mayor (1991-2015), now under scrutiny for suspected systemic corruption. By opening an abbreviated procedure (procedimiento abreviado), the judge has deemed the evidence sufficient for the case to proceed to trial. The process could expose how Valencia’s political and business circles operated. As elDiario.es reported, investigators have gathered enough evidence to move the case forward.
The development echoes other major Spanish corruption cases, in which judicial independence has come under scrutiny. In a related case, reported earlier, Spanish judges have taken extra steps to shield sensitive investigations from political interference. Those cases show the challenges of pursuing investigations involving powerful local interests.
The ‘caso Azud’ involves family members and close associates who shaped Valencia’s urban development for decades. Figures from both the Partido Popular and the Socialist Party are among the accused, suggesting the alleged wrongdoing crossed party lines and points to a broader culture of complicity. As the case heads to trial, Valencia faces a public reckoning with its recent history. The outcome will test Spain’s justice system’s ability to address entrenched local power. The indictment names political dynasties alongside business leaders, suggesting that Valencia’s longstanding tolerance of municipal corruption may be coming to an end.
