CAMPO - Jacinto Muñoz sworn in as Algeciras mayor after vote of no confidence in Landaluce

Jacinto Muñoz Madrid has been sworn in as mayor of Algeciras after a motion of no confidence in his predecessor, Jose Ignacio Landaluce, and proposing Mr Muñoz successfully passed throught the council legislature. 

Mr Muñoz secured 15 votes in favour, including 12 from councillors of the Partido Popular (PP) and three from Vox, with PSOE abstaining apart from one councillor who voted against the motion. 

Mr Landaluce was absent from the council session that ended his 15-year tenure. 

Mr Muñoz will lead the city council until the next municipal elections on May 23. 

The session, which was tense given the circumstances, began with a minute’s silence for the victims of the train collision in Toledo that morning and party spokespeople expressing their condolences. 

The motion of no confidence, which had been submitted on October 14, was put to the council, the wording including the argument that Mr Landaluce should leave office to defend himself “with dignity” following two allegations of sexual assault, one dating from six years ago and another from last summer. 

Presenting the motion, Mr Muñoz said the circumstances had created “an exceptionally serious situation”. 

He added that “respecting the presumption of innocence does not mean abdicating our political responsibility, because [council matters and Mr Landaluce’s defence] involve different procedures, timeframes and circumstances”. 

A letter of resignation by Mr Landaluce was also read out during the session. In it, he expressed his “confidence that time and justice will set things right”. 

He also conveyed his “sadness at having to leave the mayor’s office”, while expressing pride at having represented Algeciras for 15 years. 

Newly invested, Mr Muñoz said: “Algeciras can’t stop. We aren’t start from Square One because it would be unfair with all the work done throughout many years.” 

He added: “I also want to open the city council doors to all the groups and those who think differently to us, because we want to be a city where nobody feels alienated.”