Murcia (EFE) that four years ago, in the 2019 municipal elections, it was settled with 449 socialist votes, 434 from the PP and 119 from Ciudadanos, that is, by 15 ballots difference between the 2 most voted parties.
Despite winning the elections, the PSOE was unable to form a government and the PP signed an agreement with the orange party to maintain the mayoralty that it already held, although until then with an absolute majority, 4 more years.
Some wiretaps on 3 investigated by the Civil Guard for an alleged crime of drug trafficking, ordered by the judge of the investigating court number 1 of Mula, the judicial district to which the small Murcian town of Albudeite (1,390 inhabitants) belongs, led yesterday , Thursday, to the arrest of 13 people and the imputation of another 2, including the head of the PSOE list for mayor, Isabel de los Dolores Peñalver; her number 6, Lorena Navarro Rodríguez, as well as her husband and her 2 children.
Along with these 5 people is another PSOE candidate, Héctor Antonio Martínez, a member of the candidacy for the Murcia Regional Assembly in 19th place and head of training in the PSRM-PSOE regional executive.
The operation for the alleged electoral fraud is still open, it is the result of an investigation against drug trafficking and has been elevated, for your information, by the investigating judge to the central electoral board.
Sources close to the case have informed EFE that the husband, one of the sons of the candidate for mayor, and Lorena Navarro, a member of the municipal socialist list, were in charge of contacting the neighbors to ask them to vote, while the PSOE regional leader also arrested would be aware of the alleged fraud and did not report it.
The judicial police of the Civil Guard summoned them yesterday morning to testify at the barracks and, after giving a statement as detainees, they were all released.
PSOE, PP and La Voz de Albudeite are the 3 parties that are contesting the municipal elections and the Murcia Regional Assembly this Sunday, for which 1,124 and 1,155 voters (autonomous and local, respectively) are called to vote.
After learning of the arrest of their charges, the PSOE of Murcia issued a statement in which it assured that its “pulse does not tremble at any illegal or unethical practice” and that, if it is confirmed that the facts affect militants, they will be expelled from the party and removed from all positions they hold.