The Maracena case in Granada, a town of about 22,000 residents, centers on the kidnapping of the mayor. On February 21, Vanessa Romero, who was the mayor’s partner at the time, was kept hidden in a makeshift cell and continued to see many people in the area. Ambiguities and shadows surround the mayoral story as civil guards probe the underlying motives and possible influences at play. Several unresolved questions persist about what happened and who was involved.
Who did the kidnapper call?
Accounts of the alleged kidnapping describe that Vanessa Romero went to the school where her children attended, a site in Atarfe (Granada). There she encountered the mayoral couple, Pedro Gómez and his partner. The story notes that they shared the same school routine. Romero asked for help after running low on fuel. The kidnapper allegedly loaded her into a vehicle and pressed a gun against her, driving to a nearby swamp. The weapon is said to have been a replica. There, Romero was restrained and gagged, and an iron bar was used to threaten her into the car trunk. A figure close to the case claims two premeditated calls were made, with one reaching a woman. The testimony from Romero’s husband supports that the sequence was carefully planned, though some details remain disputed.
Why was the incident linked to Maracena by metro?
After Romero was placed in the trunk, authorities say the kidnapper moved to a nearby town, Armilla, where he had a rental space linked to a planned business expansion. He reportedly left Romero injured and seeking help before she escaped. The suspect then took a subway ride and reached Maracena roughly 45 minutes later. Witnesses say he was seen entering a hardware store where he purchased a meat knife. The presence of a hardware store far from the presumed crime scene raises questions about the motive and the route chosen for the escape.
Has the mayor been seen?
The mayor, Bertha Linares, appeared visibly shaken during her first public remarks, stating that she did not live with her partner because they were separated in Malaga and that she had only spoken to him via videoconference the night before the kidnapping. She emphasized that she did not know he would be in Maracena. During a municipal council session meant to clarify the events, a spokesman for the opposition party pressed the mayor to confirm whether she had seen her partner on the day the incident occurred, noting a police statement given earlier. The mayor did not disclose further details in that session.
Census irregularities?
A claim from the mayor suggests that his ex-wife disclosed at a March 1 council meeting that their breakup followed the kidnapping and that she continued to inhabit a home in Maracena, though she stated she still spent time in Malaga. The property was said to have been registered only weeks earlier, and questions arose about ownership of the rental property used to set up a business in Armilla, as well as personal exchanges between councilors from the two municipalities.
What is the Civil Guard investigating?
The town council indicated that no specific documents had been requested and that the authorities asked for preservation of records in areas such as personnel, response, contracting, and urban planning. While there is no outright doubt about the kidnapping involving forced detention, there are indications of an urban development angle, given that documents related to urban agreements appeared in the kidnapped councilor’s vehicle and could point to a broader scheme.
Why the contradictions?
The councilor took office in July 2021 after the former mayor, Noel López, moved to regional politics as a secretary for the Andalusian Socialist Party. Linares had spent fifteen years on the council. In the later stages of López’s term, Romero often acted as acting mayor, raising questions within the opposition about whether she was the preferred successor. Party sources suggest that Romero might not have been expected to remain on the electoral slate. She has since been informed that she will not be on the upcoming list in May.
How is the municipality faring?
Maracena, while legally required to report to oversight bodies, has faced questions about accountability. Located in the Granada metropolitan area and well connected to the capital, the town has undergone notable transformation over the past two decades, with growth and change shaping its governance and public services.
What worries the party leadership?
The case has grown due to the former mayor, Noel López, who now serves as the Andalusian Socialist Party’s agency secretary, a senior party official. Much of the administration’s responsibility reportedly falls on López, who has faced legal scrutiny over years of urban deals and a court order related to a business matter. The opposition notes that concerns extend beyond urban planning to personnel and internal governance as reforms and investigations unfold.