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THE eternal tan, the Unwavering Smile instantly Recognisable voice.
Julio Iglesias, a Spanish singer with a career that spans decades, is unique in having achieved worldwide acclaim.
The golden image of Spain’s favourite singer was recently tarnished after shocking allegations of human trafficking and sexual assault by two former staff members.
The scandal threatens the crooner’s status as an icon of the nation and is fast becoming the latest battlefield in the bitter culture wars that are raging across the country.
READ MORE Avenida Iglesias, in Puerto Banus of Marbella, is being renamed after the alleged sex abuse and human trafficking by legendary singer Julio.
Marbella will be the scene of this confrontation, the playground for the rich and famous. Iglesias is a familiar face in Marbella.
Avenida Julio Iglesias, a tribute to this singer, was 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 Izquierda Unida party (IU), a left-wing political party, has not hesitated to demand that the name of the organization be removed.
READ MORE Spain’s famous singer Julio Iglesias accused of shocking allegations of sex abuse involving domestic workers
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 indignation wave quickly made its way up the coast.
The street in Puerto Banus may be a local irritant, but the singer holds the prestigious title “The Voice of the World”. Hijo Adoptivo The province of Malaga has granted the title of “Adoptive Son” in 2009.
Toni Morillas, the provincial coordinator for IU, expressed ‘absolute repugnance’ at the allegations, arguing that public institutions cannot remain neutral.
READ MORE Spain’s Julio Iglesias celebrates 81 years: from football dream to global stardom, and a surprising twist in his family life
She declared that abusers should not be applauded, but rather socially condemned, and insisted that no one, no matter their fame or power, could escape punishment.
Iglesias, who holds the same gushing title in Madrid 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.
As the calls for the removal of the alleged terrorists grow in the South, the Spanish capital has mounted a fierce opposition, turning the scandal into a standoff.
READ MORE: No ‘Daddy Issues’ for Julio Iglesias as Spain’s Supreme Court rules against man claiming to be his illegitimate son
The conservative response has been quick and defensive.
Isabel Diaz Ayuso was the first to help the singer.
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.
The case is currently being investigated by prosecutors to determine whether or not to present it to 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.
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