Spanish minister resigns one week after taking office over fraud claims

The Spanish minister of sport and culture Màxim Huerta has resigned only a week after taking office, for having allegedly defrauded 218,322 euros between 2006 and 2008.

José Guirao, the former director of Madrid's Reina Sofía Museum, accepted to substitute Huerta as minister. Huerta, a famous journalist, will be replaced by a highly experienced culture manager.

Huerta made the decision public at 7pm at a press conference at the ministry’s headquarters. On Wednesday, Huerta also denied that it was fraud, stating that it was, instead, a fine he had to pay to the tax office. 

Spain’s People’s Party, ousted from power after a vote of no confidence, and Podemos demanded his resignation, while Ciutadans asked for him to appear before the Spanish Congress to explain himself.

At noon on the same day, the new government dismissed Huerta’s move, arguing that he was already aware of his fiscal obligations. This is the same argument that Huerta had already put forward in an interview with Spanish radio station Cope.