Seven days after being nominated, Màxim Huerta has resigned as Spain's culture and sport minister, saying he is the victim of a media "pack of hounds" whilst insisting on his innocence in the controversy surrounding his taxes. The now former minister defended himself this morning, saying he didn't have to explain because he is "up-to-date with payments". This afternoon, on the other hand, he claimed others in the sector had been caught up in similar circumstances. Even so, he has decided to stop down, believing his continued presence would put the new government at risk.
"They're looking to undermine prime minister Sánchez's project of regeneration and transparency and I don't plan on allowing it", said Huerta in a press conference after which he accepted no questions. Instead, he repeatedly criticised the "pack of hounds" which he accused of promoting the attacks to force his resignation. His speech came after personally informing the prime minister of his decision this afternoon, given the growing pressure he says he's suffered.
The Valencian journalist and writer entered into no self-criticism, saying "it wasn't a conviction for fraud" he faced, rather a fine after losing an action he brought against the Tax Office in disagreement with a sanction. He is accused of having evaded paying 218,322€ (£190,000, $260,000 at today's exchange rates) in taxes in the financial years 2006-08. Huerta explained that, "like so many other creators", he ran his accounts through a limited-liability company which "wasn't illegal" at the time.
Huerta said he came to the ministry "excited" just seven days ago, "convinced that I could serve the country and its culture, aware that I would be a target for criticism for coming from a form of media which everyone watches and everyone demonises", namely television. He expressed regret that his alleged innocence would be drowned under this "noise and denigration". As such, he is leaving, to save what he "loves" the most, culture and Pedro Sánchez's project.
Government sources said this lunchtime that the prime minister was "calm", although he didn't consider the matter closed, with his government preparing itself to "ride out the storm". The minister has been in touch with Sánchez throughout the day as his stance evolved after he said this morning he wouldn't be resigning. The labour, migration and social security minister, Magdalena Valerio, had defended him in a press conference, saying that he hadn't committed tax fraud, that it was simply a discrepancy with the Tax Office, which fined him.
In the end, however, Huerta has decided to leave his role to maintain the government's "exemplary image" as it works to regenerate Spain's institutions. The consulted sources, in fact, admitted they had set the "bar very high" with the motion of no-confidence in Mariano Rajoy, which followed his Partido Popular having been found by a court as having unknowingly benefited from the Gürtel scandal.