Our thirty favorite villains

• Violence in Catalonia. The Torra tsunami
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There have been hundreds of villains uncovered and portrayed by THE WORLD. Protagonists of great scandals who often said the newspaper was lying; That the villain was the messenger. In many cases they were convicted or prosecuted . And their names - and their practices - are now part of the national history of corruption. Others face the worst of crimes: the murder of the dissent . Others, to the rupturist fanaticism that always divides. There goes a brief selection. Our particular bestiary. Our 30 favorite villains.

QUIM TORRA

'President' of Catalonia . Born in Blanes in 1962. "Torra met with the CoRs to set a common strategy," we said on October 9, 2018.

When the fled Carles Puigdemont chose him president, we were right on our cover: "Quim Torra, an ultra known for his insults to the Spaniards." The editor, a politician who called "beasts with human form" to those who do not agree with Catalan nationalism, has starred in many of our most recent pages. He is the last expression of the degeneration of independence that already embodied Puigdemont, Artur Mas - the inventor of procés when 3% drowned CDC - and the father of everything, Pujol.

JORDI PUJOL

Former 'president' of Catalonia . Barcelona, ​​1930. "The Pujol invested their hidden fortune in coffee plantations" has been our last exclusive on the clan

He was a kind Catalan, while building a nation even in the last corner of Catalan social life. And it was also the honorable molt . Until everything exploded. Family corruption is headed by him, but his children are not far behind. All always wrapped in the flag. "The Police link accounts in Switzerland of Pujol and Mas with the corruption of CiU", we already had in 2011 . Then: "The plot of Oriol Pujol charged five million for facilitating divestments in Catalonia", "All Pujol are already charged", "Josep Pujol operated in Andorra under the pseudonym of Rocabily", "Los Pujol, accused of laundering 28 million while they were investigated "... A whole clan of villains twice .

IÑAKI URDANGARIN

Son-in-law of Juan Carlos I. Zumárraga, 1968. The cover of 10/24/2011: "The judge investigates the diversion of public money to a society of Urdangarin and the Infanta"

In the fall of 2011, the son-in-law of the King appears for the first time on our cover with a disturbing headline: "Anatomy of a ball": the story of how a judge investigated the plot of invoices that allowed the Urdangarin company to collect 2.3 million euros for a seminar in the Balearic Islands. It was the beginning of what was called the Nóos case, which ended with something unthinkable for many: Infanta Cristina's husband in jail.

JOSE MANUEL VILLAREJO

Former Commissioner of the National Police Corps and businessman . El Carpio, 1951. Its end began like this: "The Police dismantles the network of Villarejo" (4/11/2017)

The former commissioner has become the quintessence of the so-called state sewers. Before being known as the man who recorded everything - and everyone blackmails -, he was in charge of some of the most delicate secret operations for the high levels of the State and for some of the large companies of the Ibex. Today he is in prison.

CRISTIANO RONALDO

Juventus footballer, former Real Madrid . Funchal, 1985. After our revelations, this January he pleaded guilty to the judge and said: "Everything perfect"

The bomb exploded in December 2016: "Cristiano [Ronaldo] avoids taxes with companies in the Virgin Islands." A diversion of 150 million . This January, the player pleaded guilty in the case that started with the revelations of EL MUNDO. Behind his hands -and those of Mourinho and so many others- was a man: the richest football agent in the world, Jorge Mendes.

LUIS BÁRCENAS

Former Treasurer of the PP. Huelva, 1956. "The PP used black money to finance all its campaigns," he declared in 2014 before Judge Ruz.

It is the proper name of illegal financing in the Popular Party. And the man who has starred in many of our covers. "Bárcenas paid bonuses in black for years to part of the dome of the PP," we told seven years ago. Then: "Barcenas paid 10,000 euros a month to Cascos" ... And the famous "Four hours with Barcenas" in which the former treasurer described to this newspaper the illegal financing of the party and its contacts with Rajoy. In the black payroll of La Gürtel and La Púnica it is also possible to include at least four other villains: Ignacio González, Francisco Granados, Francisco Correa and Álvaro Pérez 'El Bigotes' .

JAUME MATAS

Former Minister of Environment and former Balearic President . Palma de Mallorca, 1956. His nightmare: "Anticorruption attributes to Matas a bribery of 1.5 million for his 'palace'"

And from the Madrid PP to the Balearic Islands. Investigations against Jaume Matas began when he bought an apartment in an old palace in Palma and reformed it with great luxury. He has been sentenced twice to prison terms for corruption. One, for the diversion of public funds to the advisor who wrote his speeches . The other sentence is still in Aranjuez for the Nóos case, for giving Urdangarin money without control . "It was neither more nor less than the Duke of Palma, that was an endorsement, " was justified.

MARÍA ANTONIA MUNAR

Former president of the Balearic Parliament . Barcelona, ​​1955. "Munar resigns after being accused of corruption by his dolphin" (2/27/2010)

That day the image puzzled. When on November 16, 2009 she had to go to the Balearic Superior Court of Justice accused of having embezzled 30 million euros , and some citizens shouted "chorizo" and "thief", the leader of Unió Mallorquina answered throwing a kiss on air, as if in Hollywood. Munar was involved in several cases of corruption. Three years ago he left prison to testify against a new complaint. It appeared almost unrecognizable, the dark hair, after suffering a cancer . He said: "I have lived better times."

CARLOS FABRA

Former president of the Diputación de Castellón . Castellón de la Plana, 1945. His consolation, in 2013: "Fabra celebrates having been convicted only of a tax offense".

The investigations on the corruption of the PP in the Valencian Community populated our pages for years. One of the key characters was Carlos Fabra, the man with the sunglasses . President of the Diputación de Castellón from 1995 to 2011 and one of the leaders of the PP in the province, the suspicions around him did not prevent him from winning elections. "I have been acquitted by the people," he came to proclaim. Condemned for tax offenses, Fabra went to jail and in 2017 he was released on probation. Along with him there were other proper names that have followed different judicial trajectories: from Eduardo Zaplana to Ricardo Costa , through Francisco Camps and Alfonso Rus , whose voice was heard in a recording counting bills.

JOSE MANUEL SORIA

Former Minister of Industry Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 1958. His fall precipitated as follows: "Soria commits Rajoy to hide his offshore company"

A cover brought down the Minister of Industry of Mariano Rajoy. In full dissemination of the Panama papers, this newspaper uncovered the lie that ended its political career: how Soria had hidden that, until 2002, he had a company in the tax haven of Jersey . Someone who "has operated in tax havens cannot be in the Government," said Cristóbal Montoro. And Soria resigned .

ARNALDO OTEGI

Leader of EH Bildu. Mondragón, 1958. In "The other liberation of Otegi" we reveal how in 1979 he abducted businessman Luis Abaitua. And how they played Russian roulette with him.

The political face of terrorism. The man who first stained his hands with political-military ETA and then exercised terrorism in the classroom. "The strong man changes his face," we said back in 1998, when the imprisonment of the National Bureau of HB made him climb on the abertzale left. Twenty-one years later, he continues to justify the crimes of ETA.

IÑAKI DE JUANA CHAOS

ETA terrorist . Legazpia, 1955. "A 'cluster of fudges' allows De Juana to be released", we denounced in August 2008

It is one of the most recognizable faces of ETA. Condemned for 25 murders , he escaped. Seven years later we found him in a Venezuelan town, Chichiriviche, running a liquor store. The list of ETA villains is long: from Garikoitz Aspiazu (Txeroki) to Idoia López Riaño (La Tigresa), passing through Josu Ternera. The end of his escape is reported this year in Chronicle, with the 23-year-old civil guard who, when hunting , exclaimed: "It's him. We have him."

ALBERTO SAIZ

Former director of the CNI . Cuenca, 1953. His relief, forced behind the covers of EL MUNDO, we have it like this: "Saiz precipitates his resignation when he is abandoned by Zapatero"

In June 2009, this newspaper published the scandal: Alberto Saiz, the head of the Spanish secret services, accused of hunting and fishing in exotic countries under the National Intelligence Center. The bomb was such that the director of the CNI, with a PSOE card, submitted 10 agents to the polygraph to discover who had told his practices to THE WORLD. He did not reach three months in office.

RODRIGO RATO

Former Minister of Economy and former Managing Director of the IMF . Madrid, 1949. In April 2015: "Rodrigo Rato has a heritage of 27 million and a hotel in Berlin"

The most spectacular fall in Spanish politics in the last three decades has led him: from admired super minister to banished. In this newspaper we follow the inquiries about his management in Bankia and we count the privileges of the cashier's dome , his frauds to the Treasury ... until he "laundered money being minister and director of the IMF". He is in prison for the famous black cards.

FRANCISCO GUERRERO

Former General Director of Labor of the Junta de Andalucía . El Pedroso, 1956. In 2012: "The person responsible for the false ERE points to Chaves and Griñán"

That the common of his name and surnames does not confuse: in the unknown figure of Francisco Guerrero, one of the great scandals to which revelation has contributed decisively to THE WORLD is summarized: the ERE case. General Director of Labor and Social Security of the Junta de Andalucía from 1999 to 2008, used part of the public money for parties and cocaine . Since March 2012 he is in prison. The political leaders of the reptile fund ended up resigning and they are known: the socialists Manuel Chaves and José Antonio Griñán .

GERARDO DÍAZ FERRÁN

Former president of the CEOE . Madrid, 1942. Deceased. His sin, in 2010: "Díaz Ferrán leaves in Marsans a 'hole' of 373 million with 16,719 creditors"

Former owner of the Marsans Group and president of the CEOE between 2007 and 2010. The third case opened against him in the National Court was the one that in December 2012 took him to the dungeon for the first time: he hid 50 million from his creditors and declared himself insolvent while camouflaging his assets abroad.

MIGUEL BLESA

Former Chairman of the Board of Directors of Caja Madrid . Linares, 1947. Deceased. His fall: "Blesa enters prison waiting to gather bail"

"Exemplary punishment for greed" was the cover owner with whom on February 24, 2017 we counted the National Court's judgment for the black cards that condemned him for a continued crime of misappropriation. Just five months later, the then former president of the Board of Directors of Caja Madrid - the man who during the economic and social crisis symbolized the looting of the boxes - was found dead with a shot in the chest .

MARIANO FERNÁNDEZ BERMEJO

Former Minister of Justice Arenas de San Pedro, 1948. His mistake, on the cover of 12/2/2009: "Bermejo and Garzón scoff at criticism of his hunt"

A cover of this newspaper condemned him: Fernández Bermejo, Minister of Justice with Rodríguez Zapatero, had hunted with the judge of the National Court Baltasar Garzón, who at that time was instructing the Gürtel case around the PP. The appointment was in the preserve of the Finca Cabeza Prieta de Torres de Jaén. Twelve days later, he resigned .

JAMAL AHMIDAN

11-M suicide bomber . Tetouan, 1970. "'The Tunisian' traveled with 'El Chino' to Lisbon shortly before 11-M," we said on 7/29/2005

This was the name of El Chino, the leader of the plot of 11-M. Days after the Islamist cell killed 191 people in Madrid , Jamal Ahmidan committed suicide in a flat in Leganés. The terrorist Serhane Ben Abdelmajid, El Tunis, co-author of the biggest attack in the history of Spain, did the same.

XABIER ARZALLUZ

Former president of the PNV . Azcoitia, 1932. Deceased. In May of the year 2000 he declared that he preferred to the left 'abertzale' than to the "Francoism with votes" of the PP .

President of the PNV between 1980 and 2004, defender of the Basque ethnic group and author of the miserable phrase that said: "I do not know of any people that have reached their liberation without some of them getting rid and others arguing. Some shake the tree, but without breaking it, so that the nuts fall, and others collect them to distribute them . " He passed away in February. Among his worst contributions, the Estella Pact (1998).

JOSÉ MARÍA RUIZ-MATEOS

Founder of Rumasa . Rota, 1931. Deceased. His life was an entry and exit of the courts. In February 2015: "Ruiz-Mateos, sentenced to pay 92 million"

His name is also history of Spain. It is José María Ruiz-Mateos, television entrepreneur, father of large family, Superman costume, language of "I hit you, milk." Rumasa's debts forced his expropriation by the Government ; those of Nueva Rumasa dragged her into bankruptcy. He died in September 2015.

MARIO CONDE

Former president of Banesto . Tuy, 1948. It all started in December 1993: "The Bank of Spain intervenes Banesto and dismisses Mario Conde"

The entry of Mario Conde in the Alcalá-Meco prison at Christmas 1994 shook the entire country. Count had been the trickster and brilliant perfect son-in-law, the man who with only 38 had become president of the Spanish Credit Bank. But his success story was truncated with the Banesto case. Sentenced to 20 years in prison , the former banker continues to swell the list of big delinquents with the Tax Agency today: he owes more than 12.3 million euros to the treasury.

JESUS ​​GIL

Former mayor of Marbella and former president of Atlético de Madrid . Passed away. El Burgo de Osma, 1933. In October 1999: "Gil appropriated 4,442 million of Marbella with false invoices

Entrepreneur involved in politics, he was the eccentric icon of the Marbella awakened and reborn. And its rise and fall, a film chronicle. Now, 15 years after his death, a documentary has made him almost a myth . Next to him, another proper name: that of his right hand in the City Hall, Juan Antonio Roca .

EDUARDO TAMAYO

Former parliamentarian of the Assembly of Madrid . Peñarroya-Pueblonuevo, 1959. On June 11, 2003: "The PSOE believes that the 'traitor' deputies have been bribed"

His last name gave name to Tamayazo , although in the decision that made him famous he was accompanied by the socialist parliamentarian of the Madrid Assembly María Teresa Sáez . After the regional elections of 2003, the two fugitives prevented the candidate of his party, Rafael Simancas, from being president. Thus, among accusations never confirmed of bribery to traitors, the first mandate of the popular Esperanza Aguirre began, which would last nine years.

JOSÉ EMILIO RODRÍGUEZ MENÉNDEZ

Lawyer Madrid, 1951. A life fleeing. "The permission of a judge encourages Rodríguez Menéndez to escape again," we said in August 2008.

"Devil's lawyer to defend the GAL". The owner of our cover, in 2002, summed up one of the darkest figures in democratic Spain. Expert in scams and leaks and involved in dozens of murky issues, the one that most directly linked him to this newspaper was his participation in the video-assembly to sink his then director, Pedro J. Ramírez . Another of his great lies: an exclusive was invented in which, with the headline "Anglés lives", he claimed to have found the murderer escaped from the Alcàsser girls alive. It was soon learned that he was a model who paid 6,000 pesetas to impersonate him.

LUIS ROLDÁN

Former director of the Civil Guard . Zaragoza, 1943. Our exclusive, in March 1995: "Roldán case: the delivery was agreed with a friend of Belloch and Paesa"

Director of the Civil Guard, member of the PSOE and famous escape. It was one of the most recurring faces of the Spain of the 90s. On our cover he already emphasized in 1994: "Luis Roldán and other Interior charges charged a second salary of the reserved funds" . Then he fled from Spain. Three days later, the exclusive: THE WORLD had interviewed him in Paris. "If I go to jail, I will not go alone," he promised. He would end up surrendering and being sentenced to 31 years in jail. In 2015 he signed the book The Song of Roldan with Fernando Sánchez-Dragó.

FRANCISCO PAESA

Former CNI agent . Madrid, 1936. His deception in 1998: "Mysterious death in Thailand of the Interior agent and accomplice of Roldán Francisco Paesa"

So dark and with such a rocambolesque life that his figure has reached the cinema. It is Francisco Paesa, the agent of the secret services who dealt a major blow to ETA when he sold two anti- aircraft missiles with trackers traceable by the Civil Guard. Then came the Roldan case. His escape. His false death in Thailand. And the truth: he was actually alive, and so we found him in Luxembourg, "enjoying the money stolen by Roldán and the funds reserved" and using an Argentine passport.

AIDA ÁLVAREZ

Former PSOE finance coordinator . Its fall began in November in 1992. "Accused of charging for the Tordesillas-Simancas highway"

EL MUNDO discovered it in 1991 and, 18 years later, the Supreme Court confirmed it, condemning the former PSOE finance coordinator and her husband . It was one of the branches of the plot of illegal financing of the party known as Filesa case. Although Alvarez what surprised most were his excesses: at home he had a refrigerator closet to store the fur coats.

JUAN GUERRA

Brother of the then vice president of the Socialist Government, Alfonso Guerra , who accused the press of wanting to lynch him "personally and politically"

The brother of the socialist Alfonso Guerra named the case Guerra, the first of the long list of scandals that surrounded the PSOE of Felipe González, and in 1991 forced the then almighty vice president of the Government to resign . It all started with an official office in the Government Delegation in Andalusia, which, as published, Juan used for private businesses, between coffee and coffee. He was convicted as the author of a crime of usurpation of functions, although the Supreme Court finally acquitted him.

JOSÉ BARRIONUEVO

Former Interior Minister Berja, 1942. In July 1998, we published in full the sentence of the 'Marey case', which condemned the dome of the Ministry

The Interior Minister with Felipe González (1982-1988) was our particular black beast. The revelations of THE WORLD about their involvement in the infamous "dirty war" against ETA, the LAGs, contributed to their conviction by the Supreme Court. It was not our only villain: there were also Vera, Amedo, Dominguez ... History (black) of Spain.

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