Valencia declares three days of mourning for Rita Barberá's death
Thursday, November 24, 2016 @ 11:38 AM
VALENCIA city has declared three days of mourning for its ex-mayoress Rita Barberá, who died in a Madrid hotel from a heart attack yesterday (Wednesday) morning.
Current mayor Joan Ribó, from the left-wing Compromís, says whether or not other politicians or residents agreed with the way she did things or not, Rita, 68, was an 'inescapable part of' the city's history.
The PP politician, who had been forced to resign from the party following her court summons over a bribery and corruption case, was the city leader during some of Valencia's major transformations.
Formula 1 Grand Prix came to Valencia under her auspices, as did the America's Cup, and the futuristic City of Arts and Sciences and opera house, the Palau de les Arts – designed by famous local architect Santiago Calatrava and compared favourably with the well-known Sydney landmark – was built during the 24 years Rita was in power in the city.
Her colleague in national government, María Dolores de Cospedal – now minister of defence – said Rita was 'an excellent politician' and 'an honest woman', whilst national president Mariano Rajoy said 'everyone in the PP was devastated', and was visibly holding back tears as he spoke to the nation after hearing of Rita's death.
Read more at thinkSPAIN.com