Rita Maestre, one more VIP in the Mutua Madrid Open box despite criticizing “political privileges”

A long list of famous circulates this week by the Magic Box to enjoy tennis in the Mutua Madrid Open, including personalities from the world of sports, social networks, entertainment and politics. It is the case of Rita Masterwhich was seen last Wednesday in one of the best VIP boxes on the Manolo Santana track watching the meeting between Rafa Nadal and Serbian Miomir Kecmanović.

The spokeswoman for the More Madrid Municipal Group was accompanied by the deputy mayor Begona Villacis and the Councilor for Culture Andrea Levy, with whom he joked on several occasions. In the front row, the Government Delegate in Madrid presided over the box. Mercedes Rodriguez, Feliciano Lopezthe mayor of the capital Jose Luis Martinez Almeiday claudia rodriguezwidow of Manolo Santana.

Although at times she was not very interested in the match and was seen looking at her cell phone or looking bored, Maestre occupied one of the best reserved seats on the court. A very hypocritical gesture considering that she has been one of the great defenders of “the democratization of sport” and the reduction of “activities linked to political privileges”.

In 2016, when he held the position of Government spokesperson for Manuela CarmenaMaestre argued that distributing among schools the VIP passes to the Tennis Open to which the City Council is entitled by its agreement with the organization was “a way to democratize access to elite sport“. The spokeswoman referred to the distribution of 4,000 of these tickets, 3,600 of them corresponding to VIP boxes, that “before they were distributed arbitrarily by the Government among those who considered it appropriate” and that were then distributed among disadvantaged groups, schools and Volunteers in Madrid.

Tennis Open Case

On April 25, the trial of the former councilors of Now Madrid was held Carlos Sanchez Mato and Celia Mayeras well as the former CEO of Madrid Destino Ana Varela for the alleged commission of a crime of embezzlement and prevarication for commissioning two external reports on the agreement for the celebration of the Tennis Open during the Mayor’s Office of Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón.

The procedure has its origin in a complaint filed in the past mandate by the Popular Municipal Group and the Transparency and Justice association against the three former municipal officials for allegedly commissioning “hand-picked” and “without publicity” from two teams of lawyers external reports to investigate and study the management and possible irregularities of the Tennis Open during the Government of Gallardón.

The private prosecution representing the PP requested 5 years in prison for the defendants and claims 24 years of special disqualification from employment or public office. The Madrid Prosecutor’s Office does not see a crime in his actions, so he does not accuse. Transparency and Justice did not file an indictment either.

Currently, the exediles in the mandate of Manuela Carmena leading the Madrid City Council have been senior positions since last October as advisers to the Ministry of Equality, with Irene Montero at the helm.

About this issue, Martínez Almeida asked Rita Maestre to “speak” and “not hide”, because the people of Madrid have the right to know what the councilor who enjoys free tennis “of this” thinks. “What does the spokeswoman for Carmena and Más Madrid think that two of her colleagues sit on the bench today for crimes of prevarication and embezzlement of public funds,” said the mayor, who specified that he will respect the judicial procedure “whatever you dictate” , but that “first” Rita Maestre should speak.