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Spanish politician resigns over alleged corruption links

Xinhua, April 24, 2017 Adjust font size:

Esperanza Aguirre, a Spanish politician and spokesperson for the People's Party, resigned on Monday at the Madrid Town Hall as a result of her alleged close links to an ongoing corruption investigation.

Aguirre was also former president of the Madrid Regional government and Education Minister in the People's Party government of former prime minister Jose Maria Aznar.

Pressure had grown on Aguirre after her former right hand man and successor in the Madrid Regional Authority, Ignacio Gonzalez, was arrested on Wednesday as part of an major investigation known as Operation Lezo, which is the latest of corruption scandals involving the People's Party.

Gonzalez was among the 12 people detained under suspicion of corruption at the Madrid regional water utility Canal de Isabel II, and he has been sent to prison while the investigation continues.

"I have it as a rule of conduct not to avoid my responsibilities ...That is why I am resigning. I feel deceived and betrayed by Ignacio Gonzalez," said Aguirre, who insisted her only error was not "keeping a closer eye" on the man who had enjoyed her confidence for so long.

Aguirre had previously stood down as the leader of the People's Party in the Madrid region in February 2016 as the party was being investigated for its part in another scandal.

Meanwhile the investigation into Operation Lezo continued on Monday with the arrests of former Eduardo Zaplana, the former President of the Region of Valencia, Minister of Labor and Social Issues and Chairman of the PP in the Spanish Congress, and well known businessman and former Vice-President of Real Madrid, Juan Miguel Villar Mir. Endit