“Can a person run in the municipal elections?” That question surfaced in front of the High Criminal Court as the hearing unfolded on June 2 last year, culminating in a death sentence for the defendant. Six months of imprisonment followed for breaching another sentence issued on April 19, 2021 by the same court, which had also ordered a three-year, four-month ban from contact with the former partner. Not long after, on November 19, 2021, the individual was reported for drunken behavior at the woman’s residence, prompting police intervention.
The judge clarified the timeline: a six-month period would have elapsed before elections were held, had the sentence not already reached its conclusion. Lera Blanco—paroled on bail on a minor corruption charge related to offering money in exchange for sexual favors with a 16-year-old girl from Castroverde—was spared a further return to custody. For the latest conviction, the President of the Criminal Court agreed to suspend the sentence for two years.
The judge’s warning was clear: no new offenses could be committed during this interval, or the individual would face the full prison term. The matter extended to Topas, where the individual would be held in a maximum-security facility if necessary.
It was confirmed that the candidate could present themselves for the municipal elections scheduled for May 28, 2023. The individual’s representatives sought to resolve the matter before the High Criminal Court and reached an agreement with the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office to acknowledge the facts and demonstrate sincere remorse.
From Castroverde de Campos, the former alderman ran in the 2019 municipal elections under the acronym PSOE. Eight months later, he was expelled from the party. A case involving alleged corruption against minors remained pending in the Provincial Court.
The prosecution requested a custodial sentence of three years for the mayor, plus a ten-year ban from any role related to minors; a six-year probation period was proposed along with a two-hundred-meter ban on approaching or contacting the alleged victim. An amount of 300 euros was mentioned in relation to the alleged sex acts involving a minor, with the incident dating from November 24, 2021.
The mayor was arrested on November 30, and a judge from Villalpando approved trial conditions that allowed his release to enter a detoxification facility for alcoholics.
In early April 2022, the court decided to keep him in custody under bail terms with a commitment to continue outpatient alcohol rehabilitation and monthly court appearances for compliance checks.
Upon returning to Castroverde, Lera Blanco resumed municipal duties and immediately returned to the mayoral office. His stated objective remained clear: to secure an eleventh consecutive majority in a town where he had held influence for decades.