Local politics can be dangerous, as proved the case in Padul where a newly elected councillor resigned because of threats to his family.

The Councillor, who won one of the four seats for Para La Gente, received a letter under his door, three days before a voting in session at the Town Hall, saying that if he pacted with the PSOE (socialists), handing them the Mayoralty, they were going to make his life a misery and would hurt his wife and daughter.

So when the Plenary Meeting came around to vote in the new mayor, Emilio Santiago announced his resignation and the reason for it.

The announcement was not only met by unanimous support from all sides of the political spectrum, but from members of the general public.

The incumbent Mayor, following the elections, Manuel Villena, expressed his support to Councillor Santiago via Facebook, saying that  as a democrat “It shames me that such ‘brave’ [said with irony] people who hide behind anonymity exist, ” adding that he had experienced a similar situation a few weeks before and that it was “very disagreeable.”

The Candidate for Mayor for the PP (conservatives) Antonio Villena, said that he found the incident astonishing and roundly condemned the culprit and would assist in every way he could with the Guardia Civil in their investigation into the matter.

The elections results gave the PP six seats, Para La Gente four seats and PSOE 3 Seats, so if Para La Gente pacted with the PSOE they would have seven seats giving them the majority in the 13-seat council. It would have also meant that Emilio, as party candidate, would be Mayor.

And that’s what happened as these two parties voted for the Para La Gente Candidate (until the resignation, Nº2 on the list) Celia Villena de Francisco is now the Mayor.

(News: Padul, Valle de Lecrin, Granada, Andalucia)