Francisco Correa, during his testimony this Tuesday in the “Gelts case” trial at the Valencian branch.
The worst omens for Francisco Camps have come true. The trial of the former Valencian President for his involvement in the Belt case began this Tuesday with the hearing of the first accused. The series of testimonies began with Francisco Correa, the leader of the conspiracy, who, thanks to the good relationship that the head of the regional government had with one of the subordinates, pointed to Camps as the introducer of the corrupt network in the Valencian Community of the Belt- ringleader Álvaro Pérez aka El Bigotes. A version later ratified by the number two of the plot and the former secretary of the Organization of the People of Galicia, Pablo Crespo. This statement has acquired such importance that the former president of Valencia confronted Correa in the lobby of the building.
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Anti-corruption prosecutors are seeking a two-and-a-half-year prison sentence for camps on subterfuge and fraud charges. The state ministry and coroner José de la Mata allege that the president intervened to rig contracts in favor of Correa’s companies, giving him awards at the Fitur 2009 tourism fair “as he has done since 2005.” However, the former senior civil servant, who is trying to return to the top of politics, denies all the allegations, repeating that they are persecuting him to “destroy” his “job as President of the Generalitat”, ignoring all previous convictions deemed proven the corruption that dwells in the administration and in the formation he led.
– Did you get to know camps back then? the prosecutor asked Correa a few minutes after the start of his interrogation.
—I think I met Camps at the famous wedding of President José María Aznar’s daughter. I met him two or three times – the leader of the conspiracy answered.
With these words, the corrupt businessman gave the starting signal for a story that always ended in the Palau de la Generalitat, the seat of the regional presidency. “After Aznar’s move to Mariano Rajoy, we cut ties with Genoa. And since Álvaro Pérez had a very good relationship with Camps, I decided to open an office in Valencia,” says Correa. “Do you remember speaking to the President?” Anti-Corruption insisted. “I think so, I told him that he would take Álvaro with him,” replied the accused, who also described how the corrupt plot ended up in the community: “Initially Álvaro had a relationship with Paco Camps. From there, Paco Camps introduced him to other members of the PP government and other members of the administration.”
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“I insisted that Álvaro speak to Camps to give him more work. And I think he did it because it gave him work. I imagine the pope came through camps, [una adjudicación irregular concedida durante la visita de Benedicto XVI en junio de 2006 a Valencia]and Fitur’s,” continued Correa, who has already been sentenced to 105 years and seven months in prison for other investigations into the Belt case: “Camps knew that Álvaro was directing all PP campaigns in Madrid, and he also informed Camps about it had severed relations with Genoa”.
Francisco Correa upon his arrival at the National Court trial on January 23. JUAN BARBOSA
The statement proved that El Bigotes maintained a fluid and close relationship with the then President of the Generalitat. In an audio, Camps can be heard affectionately referring to Álvaro Pérez as a “soul mate,” going so far as to say, “I love you an egg.” In his statement, Correa underscored those ties: “I asked Álvaro to set up an office there open so that we can work with the party in Valencia and introduce ourselves little by little and get contracts from the administration.” “I put pressure on Álvaro to try and get contracts from the Generalitat. Álvaro had to turn to Paco Camps or the city councils,” added the Belt leader, who also highlighted how the plot was embedded in the conservative formation: “We were an arm of the PP.”
Pablo Crespo, Correa’s number two and sentenced by the Belt to 86 years in prison for other lines of investigation, later confirmed this version in court: “Álvaro Pérez was related to certain regional leaders. I knew camp. Mr Pérez, who had a very close relationship with Camps, told me that there was chemistry.” Ahead of the trial, Correa, Crespo and El Bigotes all confessed and pointed to the former Valencian President. Ricardo Costa, former general secretary of the Valencian PP, also said Camps knew about the irregularities and took part in them.
These statements complicate the defense of the ex-chairman of the PP. And he’s well aware of that, taking on Correa at the end of Tuesday’s session. “He’s a son of a bitch,” Camps said, according to eyewitnesses, as he walked down the building’s stairs. According to information from those close to the belt boss, the ex-president approached him, insulted him – “Liar, son of a bitch, you’re messing up my life” – and told him that they had never met and that he was not a friend The Whiskers; to which the businessman would have replied that a person does not tell someone they do not know that they want “an egg”. According to Camps’ environment, he only accused him of not knowing each other.
Former president of the Valencian Community, Francisco Camps, addressed the media on Monday at the National Court. Alejandro Martinez Velez (Europa Press)
Prosecutor: “There are no obscene pacts”
Prosecutor Concepción Nicolás also didn’t waste her intervention on Tuesday, launching a counterattack against Camps, who on Monday accused anti-corruption of “violently” pursuing him and making “secret and obscene pacts” with other defendants to try him. “There are no obscene pacts. Nothing is illegal or secret. [El acuerdo de conformidad] It is a legal instrument and recognized by the jurisprudence,” said the representative of the Public Ministry, who captivated: “We made it transparent […]. And with respect to those who make a truthful statement, corroborated by all peripheral elements, the prosecutor will assess whether they deserve the mitigating measures.”
The darts happened non-stop. “[Las conformidades] They do not bind the court. And whoever was acquitted in the case of the lawsuits knows it well, although there were two points of agreement,” Nicolás said, referring to the former regional president. The prosecution also denied, as the politician’s defense claimed, that the crimes alleged against the people have expired, or that their fundamental rights have been violated, or that they have already been tried and excluded in another case.
In addition to camps, another 25 people are sitting on the bench (two other defendants have already died). Among them, three advisers to their executive branch and a dozen technicians from the Valencian administration, in addition to the main members of the corrupt plot: Francisco Correa, Pablo Crespo and Álvaro Pérez.
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