Javier Faúndez, president of the Diputación de Zamora, defended his conduct in Zamora on Friday in relation to provincial land in Barcial del Barco . He was responding to media reports that businessman Vicente Merino had filed a criminal complaint and that Faúndez was named as a suspect in the planned biorefinery . Faúndez said he had not yet received any formal notification from a court and stressed that the provincial administration’s decisions had been lawful and had served economic development.
According to consistent local reports, the complaint concerns the management and possible use of land in Barcial del Barco earmarked for an industrial project. The former president of the Diputación de Zamora, Francisco Requejois also mentioned in this context. Specific allegations and formal summons dates are not publicly documented. The reports are based on information from people close to the proceedings and statements by those involved; as things stand, no court order reliably setting out the details is generally available.
Faúndez denied allegations of political interference and said he would comply with a court summons if one were issued. He stressed that all administrative steps concerning the land in Barcial del Barco had been taken within the remit of the Diputación de Zamora. Opposition representatives in the province are calling for further clarification and access to relevant administrative records in light of the reports.
The Barcial del Barco biorefinery has been the subject of political debate in Zamora several times in recent years. Supporters pointed to its potential employment benefits, while critics called for transparency in the allocation of land, expert reports and contractual commitments. Whether, and to what extent, the reported complaint will lead to formal investigations remains unclear. Until a court decision is published or officially served on those involved, the status of the allegation remains a stage in the proceedings cited by the media but not confirmed by a primary document.
The immediate news event is Javier Faúndez’s public appearance on 30 October 2026 in response to the reports. Further steps depend on possible court notifications and clarification of the allegations made.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).