32 arrested in a new anti-corruption operation

Operación Madeja covers seven regional communities

One of many

SEVILLA -- Under the orders of Judge Mercedes Alaya, the Guardia Civil carried out a massive operation in seven different autonomous regions but centered in Seville. Called Operación Madeja or Operación Enredadera (approx. Operation Network or Vine, as in climbing plant, respectively -- the media has it under either name) resulted in 32 arrests on charges principally regarding bribes on construction projects. Among the arrested are politicians of PP, IU and Coalición Canaria), all level civil servants and employees of Councils, Diputaciones and the Ministry of Development, among others. Charges range from 'arranging' public contracts to crimes such as money laundering, false trading, tax evasion and belonging to a criminal organization.//Operation Network had been under way for 15 months and expanded to 13 provinces (Sevilla, Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Zaragoza, Badajoz and Lanzarote).

It all started in Seville

Its origins are in the accounts of a Seville company called Fitonovo, in a file uncovered in the summer of 2013 during a search at the company offices. This operation is linked to the Mercasevilla Case, about irregularities in the Seville market construction.

Another indication of the spread of this 'criminal network' was the allegedly unjustified increase in the wealth of the former Seville Council 'consultant' Domingo Enrique Castaño, jailed by Judge Alaya after she found proof against him. The case simply grew from there on in.

Many of those charged have refused to cooperate with the court and have therefore been bailed at amounts that range from €200,000 to €2 million. These include the father and son team running Fitonovo and its subsidiary Fitoverde, Rafael and José Antonio González. Apparently they kept meticulous accounts of the bribes they had given.

Why the name?

The name of the operation, Madeja, originated because it describes the official shield of Seville, which shows a skein of yarn at the bottom, alluding to the fidelity shown by the city to King Alfonso X in his confrontation with his son Sancho VI in the 13th century. Forming the figure 8 between the letters NO - DO (NO8DO) it represents the sentence 'NO ME HA DEJADO' (or NO-MADEJA-DO): "He didn't let me". 

(Editor's note: There's a historical story here, about which my interest is aroused. Also, another one about how these police operations get their sometimes strange names. Watch this space.)