Nobody is quite sure why Miguel Rodríguez Durán, head of the National Police department of Andalusia West, was removed from his position just one month before his retirement, but speculations are rife.
“An unprecedented move” trumpeted ElMundo.es, which suggests his investigations into corrupt politicians without informing his bosses in Madrid might have lead to the “public punishment”.
20minutos.es says that his bosses claim the move was simply an reorganisation, and that Miguel will be placed on leave until his retirement.
Miguel is supposed to have an impeccable record, having overseen a 48 % solving of cases and a drop of 5.3 % crime in the region.
(Hang on, the police only solve 48% of the crimes? Good odds!)
Officially he’s fallen foul of a reshuffle, but it’s an ignoble end to a glittering career – and everyone is asking why his career ended so publicly.
Miguel was in charge of the National Police across Seville, Cadiz, Huelva. Rather ironically, his removal was announced during a press conference by the Government Delegate of Andalusia (Carmen Crespo) in Almeria city yesterday, when she thanked Miguel for his hard work and ceaseless efforts.
Others say that it’s due to Miguel’s light touch when it came to policing some “rather difficult” (Crespo’s own words) manifestations in Huelva and Seville over the last couple of years.