Spain replaces its India ambassador after row over use of funds for cultural events
Spain pulls ambassador from India amid probe into concerts, €18K payment to singer, book events Rajasthan concerts triggered internal alarm Book promotion and daughter's role
Spain pulls ambassador from India amid probe into concerts, €18K payment to singer, book events Rajasthan concerts triggered internal alarm Book promotion and daughter's role also flagged Spain's foreign ministry is replacing its ambassador to India, Juan Antonio March, following a series of reports by Spanish outlet The Objective detailing cultural events and spending arranged without the ministry's knowledge, according to the publication.The Objective reported that the council of ministers has approved a request for India's agrément on a successor, Alfredo Martínez Serrano, currently Spain's ambassador to Canada and a former chief of protocol for the Spanish royal household. Citing diplomatic sources, the outlet said the New Delhi handover is expected within weeks.The shakeup follows a complaint sent in late May to Spain's anti-corruption prosecutor's office by a foreign ministry official, flagging conduct by March that could carry criminal implications tied to public procurement and fund management.The complaint, which the outlet said it had reviewed, was also forwarded to Spain's court of auditors.
The Objective noted that filing a complaint does not mean prosecutors have opened a formal investigation, only that they must first assess whether the allegations warrant one.March was appointed to New Delhi in September 2024. The Objective reported that Indian authorities took roughly six months to approve his posting, a delay the outlet linked to Indian unease over his selection, citing his earlier, contested departure from Spain's ambassadorship in Moscow in 2011.The controversy originated with concerts organised in Rajasthan in February, according to The Objective. The events, featuring a local dance company and two singers, Spanish tenor Joan Laínez and Chinese-German mezzo-soprano Huiling Zhu, were arranged without sign-off from Madrid and were ultimately vetoed by Spain's international development agency, AECID, after the embassy's own cultural attaché sent a report to superiors warning of irregularities.That internal report, alleged the ambassador intended to fund the performances entirely through outside sponsors, the Rajasthan state government and Spanish firms operating in India, structured through "gold," "silver" and "bronze" sponsorship tiers, so that the money would never pass through embassy accounts subject to ministry oversight.
The outlet reported this included an unplanned €5,000 contribution from BLS, an Indian company that handles visa processing for Spanish missions worldwide.The Objective separately reported that Zhu received €18,000 from the New Delhi embassy for concerts held in 2025, and that March arranged further paid performances for her in February 2026, with the final concert date coinciding with her birthday. The outlet cited diplomatic sources alleging a personal relationship between the ambassador and the singer, alleging that Zhu has been a long-time girlfriend of the ambassador.In an earlier investigation, The Objective reported that March had published two English-language books during his New Delhi posting and had sought official Spanish government travel authorisation to promote the book at literary events, including the Jaipur Literature Festival in January. The outlet cited a diplomatic source questioning whether promoting personal work while traveling in an official capacity, at public expense, was appropriate, while noting Spanish law does permit civil servants to publish and earn royalties with ministry approval.The Objective also reported that March's daughter, Milena March Franzi, holds a Spanish diplomatic passport and has taken part in business and cultural events in India, including a branding workshop hosted by Indian film executive.A former Spanish ambassador quoted anonymously by the outlet alleged March had used his position to introduce his daughter to business contacts.
The BriefWire