Spain pulls ambassador to India amid scandal over unauthorised cultural spending

Spain’s foreign ministry announced the replacement of ambassador Juan Antonio March with Alfredo Martínez Serrano following revelations of unauthorised cultural events and dubious financing. Investigations showed concerts in Rajasthan were arranged without ministry sign-off, financed through "gold", "silver" and "bronze" sponsorship tiers that bypassed embassy accounts, including a €5,000 contribution from visa-processing firm BLS.

Additional concerns arose over payments to singer Huiling Zhu, alleged personal ties between her and March, and the ambassador's promotion of his own books on official trips. A complaint filed in late May by a ministry official flagged potential criminal violations in public procurement and fund handling, which has been referred to the anti-corruption prosecutor and the court of auditors. The council of ministers approved the agrément for Serrano, who is presently Spain’s envoy in Canada and former chief of protocol for the royal household, with the handover expected shortly.