'Costa' minister resigns
Controversial culture minister Maxim Huerta, who has ties to the Costa Blanca, resigned on Wednesday after it was discovered he defrauded taxes
MAXIM Huerta, the controversial new culture and sports minister appointed by PM Pedro Sánchez was forced to resign on Wednesday over a past tax fraud scandal.
Sr Huerta will go down in the books as being one of the 'briefest' ministers in democracy having lasted less that a week in office.
Early in the morning it was revealed that Huerta, a prolific writer and TV commentator had been found guilty last year of defrauding the tax office for undeclared income and claiming expenses non-related to his professional activities over the years 2006 to 2008.
The non-deductible expenses he declared included a property his mother owns and uses in Albir (Alfaz del Pi).
The information, uncovered by El Confidencial newspaper, led the minister to give personal explanations to new PM Pedro Sánchez during that morning- but Sr Huerta initially stated he will not offer his resignation over this matter.
According to the sentence, the minister defrauded €218,322 at the time and even stated ' Being up-to-date with the tax office is not trendy' in an online 'Twitter' message.
Podemos and PP parties demanded his immediate dismissal, especially after Sr Sánchez has ousted the PP due to its judicial controversies.
Finally, in the afternoon, Maxim Huerta called a press conference to announce his resignation.
His office will be taken over by José Guirao, the former director the Reina Sofia museum in Madrid.