The PSC keeps a former councillor convicted of corruption on its payroll

BarcelonaA few weeks ago, a judge handed down the first conviction for corruption arising from the investigation into the Consell Esportiu de L'Hospitalet de Llobregat. It was that of the former PSC councillors Cristian Alcázar and Cris Plaza, who They accepted nine months in prison for the crimes of misappropriation and against Social Security: both fraudulently simulated the dismissal of the second in command of the Consell Esportiu with the aim of pocketing compensation of 47,147 euros, before jumping to the municipal lists of the PSC. Despite maintaining their innocence throughout the procedure, at the last minute the two changed their version and declared themselves guilty after an agreement with the prosecution –which will allow them to avoid going to prison– that includes returning the money. However, the judicial decision will not affect the employment situation of Alcázar, who is a PSC employee: despite the conviction for corruption, the party has decided to keep him on staff, according to socialist sources who told ARA.

After leaving his posts due to the accusations in the main case of the Consell Esportiu –the main case is still in the investigation phase–, Alcázar joined the staff of the PSC, where he had already worked before, organizing events. Before the trial, socialist sources had defended keeping him out of respect for the presumption of innocence and did not reveal what they would do if he was finally convicted. Sources from Pallars consulted by the ARA justify the decision not to dismiss him arguing that it is "his job and his right by law", and that it was a position he had saved due to a leave of absence. Alcázar was also first secretary of the PSC in the city until the scandal broke out and he had to fold.

They will not be expelled

On the other hand, the PSC will not expel Alcázar or Plaza from the party, although it will keep them suspended from membership, as agreed once they were brought to trial. The party's code of ethics establishes, in its article 20.4, "the sanction of expulsion from the party of those who have been convicted" of crimes linked to corruption or serious intentional crimes. "The ethical criteria and norms of this Code express not only a brake on actions lacking socialist values, but also the most absolute rejection of any attitude of permissiveness that could end up legitimizing forms of corruption," says the code. Party sources do not clarify why they are not expelled and limit themselves to pointing out that, for now, they will remain suspended from their rights as members.

The bulk of the Consell Esportiu case has been under investigation since 2020 and could also end up going to trial, with more serious accusations of alleged diversion of public funds from this entity from a B-fund from which payments in black would have come. Plaza and Alcázar are also accused. However, the investigation was closed regarding the former mayor of Hospitalet, Núria Marín., who explained to the judge that, upon being alerted to irregularities, commissioned an audit of the entity. Recently, and in the context of another labor dispute, the court declared void the dismissal of the main witness in the Consell Esportiu case, who was thrown out against his will.