Mojácar Rulz OK

Well, that was interesting. It got a bit closer to me than expected, since Mojácar made the headlines in every news-site in Spain. But then, we always were a bit of an exaggeration, ever since Walt Disney was born here.

Or so they say, on no evidence whatsoever.

Anyway, two fellows high on the local list of the PSOE (nº2 and nº5) were arrested on Wednesday for allegedly buying votes from impoverished foreign-residents through a postal-vote. The PP in Mojácar were said to have done the same thing in previous elections, so apparently, it’s not considered much of a crime.

This time, a record 25% of all votes in Mojácar came via the postman. 

Nevertheless, our practically levantine corruption, which again, made all the media, probably didn’t help the socialist cause elsewhere in Spain, with the PP winning several regions and major capital cities. 

Indeed, the PP-A say in Seville that they will leave no stone unturned to discover the truth about Mojácar ‘and will act firmly if any party-colleague is found guilty’ (a claim I think, that they may come to regret). 

The final postal vote, by the way, was exactly 701 papeletas, or 25% of the entire vote (or the equivalent of three councillors).

Then word came from the courthouse that another arrest had been made, this time someone buying votes for the Mojácar PP.

In another unconnected story, the Junta de Andalucía has now green-lit Mojácar's General Plan (PGOU) which includes a licence to build a further 2,685 dwellings in the community.

I live in Almería City these days, so I voted there. The advantage for me was that I neither knew any of the candidates, nor (for once) had any dirt on them.

From 20Minutos on Saturday here: ‘Homes, okupas, Bildu, vote buying… the campaign for the local and regional elections’. Nothing, in short, of great substance. But it was enough.

From Ignacio Escolar here: ‘Since the economy is doing much better than expected, the right had sought other arguments to make a dent in the vote. The first week of the campaign was all about ETA. The second has been monopolized by complaints about the purchase of votes by mail…’

For us foreign residents with the vote, let us hope that the new town hall takes some small notice of us: maybe someone who speaks a second language in the medical centre or over at urbanismo. Perhaps have the mayor drop by the foreign-run bar for a milk-shake. Perhaps have the local police chief call a meeting to tell us that all is fine. Maybe pay someone to translate the edicts (bandos) from the town hall. Maybe they already do. Maybe they don’t.

One question remains about buying votes – and this with my tongue in my cheek – didn’t they ply us with chocolates in Mojácar back in December to go vote for Ferrero Rocher?