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Mayor number three takes the reins Star power
From Rio with love
FORGET the Olympics, padel tennis is where the true skills lie and Mojacar has been at the centre of the action, featuring a fierce competition of this exciting sport.
By Adele Land A lbox h a s e l e c t e d a n ew mayor, the third in the space of a year. Francisco Torrecillas, an independent councillor of CILUS (Ciudadanos Libres y Unidos) was elected with nine v o t e s i n c l u d i n g h is own. The Pa r t i d o Po p u l ar ’s (PP) Juan Pedro Perez, who orchestrated the situation leading to a new election, received seven votes. The only fly in the ointment was the abstention of PSOE councillor, 22-yearold Lo r e n a I b a n o v ich , w hose n a m e h a d b e co me embroiled in rumours of clandestine meetings with members of the PP. Torrecillas becomes the third p e r so n t o h o l d th e mayoral seat in Albox this year after Rogelio Mena was forced to resign amid charges o f c r o n y i sm an d withholding public information. Next up was Sonia Cerdan, w h o se t e n u r e l a s te d less than five months having be e n f o r c e d t o s te p down when the high court deemed h e r e l e c t i o n n u ll and void. The recent weeks have been a period of uncertainty for the council with the resignation of councillor Ana
Belen Trinidad and the alleged withdrawal of support from Ibanovich. Torrecillas, currently a director of the IES Martin Garcia Ramos high school, a n n o u n ce d th a t o u tg o ing mayor, Cerdan, will become his deputy and that all other
councillors will retain the same responsibilities. H e s a id he ma de a pa c t with the PSOE in order to ‘obey the will of the people’ who voted for the socialist party in last year’s municipal elections. The new mayor also said
he would step down from his teaching position, a career which spans four decades, to enable him to concentrate on his new responsibilities. In his acceptance speech he committed to transparency and a zero tolerance of council corruption. He asked for patience over the next few months while he transitioned into the role a nd move d a w a y from his previous work commitments. Cerdan took the opportunity to speak at the end of the me e ting, c a lling for Perez’s resignation, accusing him of using insults and threatening behaviour and spreading lies about members of the council. PSOE’s secretary of municipal policy, Adela Segura, said she hoped that the PSOE/CILUS pact would ‘rein in’ the PP, whose “sole task had been attacking the council” for the purpose of winning in court, something it had been unable to do in two elections.
See page 14
A POPULAR radio programme stopped off in Mojacar to film, record, and pay homage to its remarkable history, scenery and attractions as the town continues to steal the limelight. See page 16
Delighted daredevils WATER SPORTS are all the rage in summer with Mojacar featuring an annual swimming race and the town’s
prodigal kite surfing champion receiving a very special award. See page 20
Young hearts go free AN American author travelled to Mojacar to visit a girls’ summer school where the creative students busied themselves writing imaginative tales of summer adventures. See page 22
Sporting prowess ALBOX has congratulated young Motocross rider Cristobal Galera de Amo for his spectacular second place finish in the Cuevas del Almanzora Motocross championship. See page 53