Valencian transparency chief suffers stroke hours after resigning over Azud corruption indictment
Jorge Bellver, the director general of Transparency for the Valencian government, suffered a stroke and underwent emergency surgery on Wednesday evening, hours after submitting his resignation over his confirmed indictment in the sprawling Azud corruption case.
Jorge Bellver, the director general of Transparency for the Generalitat Valenciana and a former city councillor in Valencia, is in intensive care after suffering a stroke on Wednesday evening. The medical emergency came on the same day he placed his post at the disposal of regional president Juanfran Pérez Llorca, following confirmation by the Provincial Court of Valencia of his status as an investigated party in the Azud case.
The resignation and party suspension
Bellver sent a letter to Pérez Llorca on Wednesday, stepping down from his role and expressing gratitude for the trust placed in him. The president accepted the resignation, thanking him for his service and affirming the presumption of innocence. A separate letter to the Popular Party of the Valencian Community (PPCV) requested a temporary suspension of his party membership until the facts under investigation are clarified. The party's Rights and Guarantees Committee had already opened an internal information file on Tuesday, in line with party statutes.
<quote author="Juanfran Pérez Llorca">He thanked him for his services and put in value the presumption of innocence of Bellver, after receiving a letter in which the until-now director thanked him for the trust placed in him during this time.
The Azud case
The Azud case investigates alleged kickbacks paid to public officials in exchange for public works contracts awarded by Valencia city council. The investigation covers the period between 1999 and 2013, during the mayoralty of Rita Barberá. Bellver served as urban planning councillor under Barberá and has been under investigation since October 2019. The court confirmed on Monday that he remains an investigated party, after he appealed a previous ruling.
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Bellver's name first surfaced in 2022, when a judge offered him the chance to appear in the proceedings after his name appeared on a list of gifts allegedly provided by the network. At that time, as a sitting regional MP, he declined to participate. In 2025, after losing his parliamentary seat and the associated immunity, he was summoned to testify as an investigated party. He appealed that summons, and the court has now upheld it.
<quote author="Provincial Court of Valencia">The cause was under secrecy of summary and the condition of aforado of Bellver was unknown.
Medical emergency
Bellver suffered the stroke on Wednesday afternoon and was taken to a hospital in Valencia, where he underwent emergency surgery. He remains in the intensive care unit under medical observation. The formalities of his dismissal from the regional executive are expected to be completed at the next plenary session of the Valencian government council, likely on Friday.
<quote author="Generalitat Valenciana">The head of the Valencian executive has thanked him for his services and has put in value the presumption of innocence of Bellver.
- Start of the period under investigation for alleged kickbacks in public works contracts in Valencia.
- End of the investigated period, covering the final years of Rita Barberá's mayoralty.
- Bellver is first placed under investigation in the Azud case.
- A judge offers Bellver the chance to appear in the case after his name surfaces on a list of gifts from the alleged network; he declines.
- After losing his parliamentary seat and immunity, Bellver is summoned to testify as an investigated party; he appeals.
- The Provincial Court of Valencia confirms Bellver's status as an investigated party.
- Bellver submits his resignation to president Pérez Llorca and requests suspension of his PPCV membership.
- Bellver suffers a stroke and undergoes emergency surgery, remaining in the ICU.
