Guillem Balboa, the mayor of Alaro. | Archive

TW
2

Guillem Balboa, the mayor of Alaro, has reported the discovery of a dead black lamb on the terrace at his home.  

Balboa in fact made the report at the end of August, when he returned from holiday and found the lamb, which by then appeared to have been dead for several days. The mayor's report concerned what he felt was a case of clear animal abuse, and he has wanted to downplay other possible connotations. He accepts, however, that the incident may have something to do with his being the first black mayor in Majorca and the Balearics.

The mayor explains that he hadn't wished to publicise the incident because he didn't want there to be a tone of "victimhood". He also didn't want Alaro to be linked to something so morbid. "It's regrettable, but I don't want to talk about it any more because I don't wish it to be distorted, which has already been happening on social networks, and turned into a political attack when we don't know who did it or with what intention."

The incident has been condemned by residents of Alaro and by politicians from all parties. One angle that the Guardia Civil are considering is the fact that the town hall prevented bars without music licences from having music during the Alaro fiestas; previously they had been allowed to have music. This led to a protest outside the mayor's home by a group of younger Alaro residents.