In July, it was disclosed that Noelia Núñez, a member of the Spanish parliament, falsely claimed to hold a “dual degree in Law and Public Administration.” Investigations revealed she held no degree at all. Additionally, her profile at Guatemala’s Francisco Marroquín University inaccurately stated that she possessed a degree in English Philology, reports 24brussels.
The revelation of Núñez’s fraudulent credentials has posed significant challenges for the People’s Party (PP). Following Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s public apology in May regarding corruption within his Socialist Party, the PP has positioned itself as a trustworthy alternative.
After a meeting with opposition leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo, Núñez announced her resignation. Subsequently, the PP instructed its officials to review their CVs to prevent further instances of false information.
Dummy Degrees
Just days later, another instance of fabricated credentials emerged, this time involving Socialist Party official José María Ángel Batalla. Tasked with overseeing reconstruction efforts after last year’s floods in Valencia, Batalla claimed to have a degree in Archival Science and Library Science from the University of Valencia, despite the fact that the university did not offer such a program until 1990.
The unearthing of this falsehood led to Batalla’s resignation and could potentially result in serious legal ramifications. Having utilized the deceptive degree to enter Spain’s public service in the early 1980s, he faces the prospect of prosecution for defrauding the state for over four decades.
