Seventeen years after the case began, Manilva’s current mayor, Mario Jiménez, has been acquitted of charges of embezzlement and misconduct. The accusations stemmed from a separate investigation within the broader “Manilva Case,” focusing on the alleged mismanagement of funds linked to the El Hacho urban development entity.
Also acquitted were former mayor Antonia Muñoz, legal advisor Aitor Menoyo, and former council members Paqui López, Antonio de Haro, Diego Díaz, and Emilio López.
The charges dated back to 2008, when the El Hacho ‘entidad’ was established. Prosecutors claimed that public funds were unlawfully diverted to the entity. This case ran parallel to other allegations against Muñoz involving mass hiring at the town hall and the awarding of public contracts to companies tied to relatives.
