Soria councilor Yolanda Santos released, resigns amid corruption probe

On 24 June 2026, the Guardia Civil carried out a 12‑hour raid on the Ayuntamiento of Soria, seizing documents and detaining six people. Among those arrested was councilor Yolanda Santos, who heads the Environmental, Tourism and Commerce portfolio. Santos was placed in judicial custody, later granted provisional release with the requirement to appear before the court every 15 days, and announced her resignation from both the municipal council and the PSOE, stating “Considero que esta es la decisión más prudente en este momento”.

The investigation, overseen by Tribunal de Instancia 3 of Soria and the Provincial Prosecutor, examines alleged offenses of prevaricación administrativa, tráfico de influencias, falsedad documental, negociaciones prohibidas, blanqueo de capitales and belonging to an alleged criminal organization, centered on contracts awarded to a firm linked to Santos. The other five detainees were also released under similar conditions.

The PSOE suspended Santos’s party duties and the municipal government pledged full cooperation with the authorities. Regional leaders, including Castilla y León president Alfonso Fernández Mañueco, demanded clarification from PSOE official Carlos Martínez about possible prior knowledge of the probe. The Ministry for the Ecological Transition was also implicated, with senior official Marta Viu among those arrested.