The council of Codo in the province of Zaragoza has provisionally suspended the declaration that four planned pig farms are in the public interest. The move followed an appeal by Socialist councillor Juan Villuendas against a decision taken at an extraordinary meeting on 4 September 2026. Codo’s mayor, Raúl Cuevas (Partido Popular), had initially taken part in the proceedings, but declared himself conflicted and withdrew after objections were raised over possible family interests. The suspension was made public on 1 October 2026.
According to consistent local reports, three of the four projects are on land owned by Cuevas’s relatives. The projects are estimated to require around 100 million litres of water a year in a town of about 200 residents. Codo has faced drinking-water supply problems since 2023. The controversial plans reportedly comprise two fattening units for several thousand animals and two breeding farms.
A water abstraction procedure is formally under way in parallel and was published in the Boletín Oficial del Estado . The body responsible is the Confederación Hidrográfica del Ebro, which has opened a public consultation. The town council says its secretary is examining the implications of the mayor’s subsequent recusal. Options include a fresh council debate without conflicted members and administrative reviews of individual steps.
Allegations of a conflict of interest are at the heart of the political debate in the town and the region Aragon. Supporters of the plans point to potential investment and jobs; critics cite water scarcity, odour and environmental impacts, as well as ownership of the land. Codo’s sole Socialist councillor, Juan Villuendas, had already objected to Raúl Cuevas’s involvement at the meeting and subsequently appealed the council decision.
Raúl Cuevas represents the Partido Popular in the Congreso de los Diputados. In the municipality of Codo, on the outskirts of the provincial capital Zaragoza, his shift from municipal decision-maker to conflicted participant has stalled the proceedings. What happens next will depend on the administrative reviews and submissions during the consultation. The designation of the four facilities as being in the public interest remains suspended in the meantime.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).