This is Via Corrupta, the guided walk of corruption in Palma (Spain), on the second edition of the festival of walks “Jane’s Walk”. In our twitter and mass information times it is more necessary than ever to tell people in a straight way what happened.

(Traslated into English by Joan Toni Palou).

We start the corruption walk (Via Corrupta) in front of the Roman statues built in honour of the fascism of Mussolini which gave name to Palma’s Via Roma, Via Argentina, Via Portugal and Via Alemania. Toni Janer explains that its name was changed to Rambla, except for the years of Doña Cristina and Don Iñaki’s Duchy.

Those years when, as our Iñaki put it, when he came to Palma he got aroused in view of the vast possibilities of undertaking.

The former Balearic President Jaume Matas confesses that the Noos case started in a paddle game between himself and the the King of Spain’s son-in-law in the Palace of Marivent, in the summer of 2003.

After a couple of racket shots Matas told Undargarin that he would like to live in a small Palace, and the Duke answered that that could be fixed by helping him make the Noos Institute fattier. And Matas said: “Let’s have it done.”

Little by little groups of walkers arrive at the meeting point. They listen with a lot of attention. No one hasn’t laughed or had the intention of speaking so far. Xavi Canyellas adds: “They are very Majorcan!” It is the first time they participate in the walk.

Felip Palou, Xavi Canyellas and Toni Janer during de Corruption Tour in Palma.

After a couple of racket shots matas told undargarin that he would like to live in a small palace, and the duke answered that that could be fixed by helping him make the noos institute fattier. and matas said: “let’s have it done.”

We walk following the signs that show Jane Jacob’s face, a journalist and activist in the 60’s, when the car ruled the streets and the cities grew very rapidly. She defended pedestrians and claimed for more public spaces.

She wanted urbes become more human, a still highly topical objective in our times. We are very thankful that so many people, at a time when time is scarce, have come out of their homes and start joining in Via Corrupta (we might be around 30 people now). They make us feel a bit like the old trobadours.

Matas explains that he bought the palace “because it was toppling over” and added that if he hadn’t done that it’d had been a german or a norwegian.” so he can be regarded as the first to fight against foreigners buying real estate in the city.

We arrive at the Plaça del Mercat, just in front of the gates of the Province Court in Palma. We explain that the corruption walk has been done thanks to the support of the Balearic department of Transparency, after having requested a study to Jaume Garau.

We point out that we have made a counter-offer to the Balearic People’s Party, but they told us that when they govern [again] they will order no more studies. They will do whatever they want, in a straight way.

The corruption walk in front of the Justice Court in the centre of Palma in Friday 5 of may.

Toni Janer tells us about the goddess Justice, with a bandage around her head and the scales as a symbol of impartiality. Xavi Canyelles plays her role, now harassed, set upon. She is the prophetess of modernity. Inside those doors she has witnessed how justice is not equal for everybody.

 We explain that the corruption walk has been done after  Transparency requested a study to Jaume Garau. However, the Balearic People’s Party told us that when they govern they will order no more studies. They will do whatever they want, in a straight way.

Xavi plays the role of Mr Iñaki Urdangarin’s arrival to the court of justice on the day the Noos case was sentenced ─an opposite ruling to that concerning Mrs Munar.

He gets through the court’s gate scared, surrounded by photo flashes, and later on his way back out he looks happy, relieved, waving. And then he leaves at full speed. He has just been found guilty but he won’t go to prison. Four years before, Mrs Antonia Munar came through those same doors blowing people kisses, and yet she returned dejected and taken straight to prison.

A woman participates in the show giving her opinion about corruption

We go on walking and more people join us in, down the Unió Street, passing by the Bar Bosc, crowded with tourists looking at us puzzled.

Toni Janer tells us about the goddess Justice, with a bandage around her head and the scales as a symbol of impartiality. Xavi Canyelles plays her role, now harassed, set upon. She is the prophetess of modernity.

We walk towards the sphinxes on Passeig d’Es Born. Toni tells us about their origin and why these Egyptian symbols had been placed there.

We talk about the imprisonment of Mr Cursach, an operation  that surprised everybody because it touched “the inside of the bone” of the island’s society. Immediately, however, Xavi performed a scared Mallorcan, who told us, in a low voice, that we should give up discussing this issue, “just in case.”

Mr Juan March, with a cigar in his mouth, reminds us of that inspiring sentence on corruption: “everyday a stupid is born; one just has to know where to find them.” Xavi repeats the same sentence, this time in English, acting as though he was Donald Trump.

We talk about the imprisonment of Mr Cursach, an operation that surprised everybody because it touched “the inside of the bone” of the island’s society. Immediately, however, Xavi performed a scared Mallorcan, who tells us, in a low voice, that we should give up discussing this issue, “just in case.”

 We finish the Route on Sant Feliu Street, and so far we’ve become such a numerous group, that we almost block the way and have to move to a small square on a side. It is full of trash containers, just by pure chance.

Toni Janer in front of the sphinx during the Via Corrupta.

Today we have known that the Justice has dismissed the case Palauet, where Jaume Matas had been accused. We recall the purchase of the luxury real estate by the former Balearic President, where the Balearic prosecutor Horrach found, on a Christmas’ eve, a toilet brush worth €500.

Matas tells us that he bought the Palace “because it was toppling over” and adds that if it hadn’t been for him, “it would’ve been a German or a Norwegian.”He is therefore the first to have fought against foreigners purchasing real estate in the city. Yet Jane Jacobs wouldn’t have thought the same about him.

 We finish the walk and people start to speak up. A discussion starts. We talk about the fact that the coverage of corruption cases by the media may have also affected the ethics of journalism. We put an end making a reference to Montesquieu and the obsolete democracy. That’s It. Hands clapping. Thank you.

And Xavi concludes: “Now that we have seen these facts of corruption, let’s go to Can Joan de S’aigo.” [This is a very Mallorcan way of implying that not a lot can be done to sort this problem out, so let’s forget about it and enjoy ourselves. Can Joan de s’Aigo is an old fashioned and popular ice cream and coffee bar in Palma’s city centre.]

Palma (Mallorca, Spain) the fifth of May 2017.