Six residents of Huévar del Aljarafe testified this Tuesday before the Sevilla Court, agreeing that the mayor referred them to social services to secure jobs. All were hired between 2014 and 2019, allegedly without a public process.
The trial against the former socialist mayors of Huévar del Aljarafe, Rafael Moreno and Áurea Moreno, continued this Tuesday with the testimonies of six residents who were hired by the Town Hall between 2014 and 2019. They all recounted the same procedure: they would go to the mayor, who would send them to social services, where their employment was decided. The private prosecution, represented by the current PP Council, claims these hires were made in exchange for votes, but the witnesses did not mention this aspect.
A common pattern in all testimonies
The first witness, a woman who worked as a cleaner of public buildings, explained that she would make an appointment with the mayor or a councillor, and they would refer her to social services. There, she would submit her documentation, and the social services department would offer her the position. When questioned by the prosecutor, she acknowledged also receiving "emergency assistance" for families in difficulty.
A second resident, hired multiple times as a street sweeper, stated that she would speak with "the superiors" — the mayor or the councillors — and they would send her to the social worker. "When I asked for work, they would find me one," she declared. Additionally, she indicated that she would go to the Andalusian Employment Service (SAE) to renew her job application.
The third witness, a man who obtained one or two contracts as a street sweeper or labourer, repeated the same formula: "I spoke with the mayor and he sent me to the social worker." The fourth resident, a young woman specialised in home care, noted that she learned about jobs through colleagues and was also registered with the SAE job pool.
The fifth witness and the young woman who closed the session
A young man dedicated to building maintenance recalled that he would ask the Town Hall for work, submit his CV, and wait a week until they called him. "I didn’t know what offers were available; I asked the Town Hall for work when summer came," he added. The last witness, after just over half an hour in the room, insisted on the same routine: "I would chat with the mayor, he would send me to social services, and there they would ask for my papers. Every time I needed work, I would go to speak with them. If they gave it to me, great, and if not, that was fine too. They didn’t always give it to me."
The paradox of the case is that all the witnesses had been summoned by the private prosecution of the Town Hall itself, now governed by the PP, but none were asked about the alleged exchange of contracts for votes. The prosecutor focused on the legality of the selection process.
The accused and the prosecutor's stance
On Monday, the two former mayors denied the allegations and claimed they "never ever" helped residents based on their vote. "We take pride in serving everyone; no one was asked for a party card," Rafael Moreno exclaimed. However, the prosecutor maintains that the hiring was "absolutely irregular": there was no municipal job pool, merits were not evaluated, offers were not published, and no files were even opened. Therefore, they are requesting thirteen years of disqualification for both for a continued crime of prevarication.
The defence is seeking acquittal. The trial will conclude this Wednesday with more witnesses and final reports. For the residents of Huévar, the case has generated anticipation, as it affects trust in the municipal management of recent years. Meanwhile, the current council continues to defend its accusation, but today’s testimonies have not provided evidence of the alleged exchange of votes.
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