THE eternal tan, the unwavering smile and the instantly recognisable voice.
Julio Iglesias stands out as one of the few Spanish singers to have found global acclaim in a career spanning decades.
But the golden image of Spain’s favourite singer has recently been tarnished by shocking allegations of sexual assault and human trafficking by two former employees.
The scandal is threatening the crooner’s status as a national icon, and fast becoming the latest battleground in the country’s bitter culture wars.
Ground zero for this clash is Marbella, the playground of the rich and famous where Iglesias has long been a fixture.
In the heart of Puerto Banus, the Avenida Julio Iglesias was named as a tribute to the singer, inaugurated in 2002.
For many, it now honours a man accused of treating women as ‘slaves’ at his Caribbean mansions.
To make matters worse, it was bestowed by the late, disgraced mayor Julian Muñoz during the darkest days of the corrupt GIL administration.
The left-wing party Izquierda Unida (IU) has wasted no time in demanding the name be erased.
READ MORE: Spain’s singing legend Julio Iglesias in shocking sex abuse allegations involving domestic staff
Victoria Morales, the coalition’s local spokesperson, has branded the removal ‘urgent’, challenging the ruling centre-right Partido Popular (PP) and its current mayor, Angeles Muñoz, is truly ‘committed to the fight against sexist violence’.
The wave of indignation quickly rolled the short hop up the coast.
While the street in Puerto Banus is a local sore point, the singer also holds the prestigious title of Hijo Adoptivo (Adoptive Son) of the province of Malaga, granted in 2009.
Toni Morillas, the provincial coordinator for IU, expressed ‘absolute repugnance’ at the allegations, arguing that public institutions cannot remain neutral.
“Abusers deserve social repudiation, not applause,” she declared, insisting that no one, regardless of their fame or power, should have impunity.
In Madrid, where Iglesias holds the equally gushing title of Hijo Predilecto (Favourite Son), there have been calls from opposition spokesperson Rita Maestre to withdraw this title and his ‘Gold Medal’, arguing the distinction is no longer appropriate.
Yet as the demands for removal grow in the south, a fierce resistance has also mounted in the Spanish capital, transforming the scandal into a political standoff.
The conservative backlash has been swift and defensive.
Isabel Diaz Ayuso, the President of the Community of Madrid, was quick to come to the singer’s aid.
Framing the accusations as an attack on Spain itself, she vowed to ‘never contribute to attacks on the prestige of artists,’ dismissing the outcry as hypocrisy from the ‘ultra-left’.
Her colleague, Madrid Mayor Jose Luis Martinez-Almeida, has been equally vocal, stating he has ‘no intention’ of stripping Iglesias of his honours.
Almeida defended his refusal to act by appealing to the ‘presumption of innocence’, arguing that removing honours before a trial would be an attack on the rule of law.
The case is currently in the ‘preliminary investigation’ phase at the National Court in Madrid.
But so far he has not yet been arrested nor formally charged; prosecutors are currently analysing the complaint to decide whether to bring the case before a judge.
If they proceed, the next likely step would be a summons for the singer to give a statement – though a full trial could still be months or even years away.
Click here to read more Celebrity News from The Olive Press.
