Following the privately organised anniversary celebration of the magazine Escaparate at the Plaza Virgen de los Reyes in Seville residents’ groups and opposition parties have lodged protests and parliamentary questions. According to consistent media reports and procurement documents, the city council and the Junta de Andalucía contributed a total of around €36,000 to the event.
The gala marking Escaparate’s 20th anniversary took place on 17 September 2026 at the foot of the Giralda According to the official diaries, the president of the regional government, Juanma Moreno, and Seville’s mayor, José Luis Sanz, attended as guests. The square was closed to the public for the duration of the evening event, which was private in nature.
On the funding, elDiario.es and other local media report that the municipal tourism company Contursa commissioned services for set-up and infrastructure. The Consejería de Turismo of the Junta de Andalucía also reportedly awarded a grant of €18,000; together with municipal contracts, public support totalled around €36,000. These figures are based on published orders and information from the institutions involved.
Criticism focused on two points: first, that a protected public space was used for a largely private, ticketed gala; and second, that some contracts were awarded directly at short notice. Critics point to municipal rules on protecting historic squares. The town hall and regional government argue that the gala generated significant publicity and tourism benefits for Seville and was in line with established practice.
On 24 and 25 September, residents held sit-ins in the old town to protest against the closure of the square and public co-funding. Opposition representatives announced that they would submit questions to disclose how the decisions were made, the legal basis for using the site and the procurement arrangements.
The debate has been further sharpened by its timing, close to another incident that brought Seville’s social conditions into the spotlight: at the end of August, the body of a woman was found in a storage room in the district of Triana . Local commentators highlighted the contrast between this case and the festive setting at the Giralda.
The issue remains politically significant: the promised information on grants, permits and contracts is intended to clarify whether procedures, budgetary law and heritage protection rules were observed—and whether future uses of Plaza Virgen de los Reyes should be more tightly restricted.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).