Benalmádena priest tells mayor in leaked message: 'You've ruined my whole summer of weddings'

The leaked message is already circulating on numerous social media networks. In it, the parish priest of the church of Santo Domingo de Guzmán, José Morales, can be heard giving the mayor of Benalmádena, Juan Antonio Lara, a dressing down over municipal work that for months has been affecting the surroundings of this church. The church is located in the historic center of Benalmádena Pueblo, and just a few days ago, the work extended to the square where the church stands, right above the Jardines del Muro.

The work, which is months behind schedule, has now arrived at the door of the parish. "Your technician told me that the foundation of the wall wouldn’t be dug up until the streets were finished. The streets haven’t even been done, and I arrive to find everything torn up," the priest tells the mayor in a private audio message that has ended up being leaked.

"What do I say now to the brides and grooms who have weddings this week, next week and the week after that? They can't get in with a car now the whole square has been dug up, and on top of that, most of the time, the lift is out of service. With all the weddings this summer, what am I going to do?" In the message, the priest also expresses his indignation that the owner of the land, has not been notified. "You don't take anything into account," he said.

"It has created many problems for me. You have ruined my whole summer of weddings," the priest stated at the end of his audio message, adding, "Who will tell the bride and groom that they have to jump over rubble when they want to get married?"

At the moment, not even the priest himself knows how a "private conversation" has gone viral. At least that's what he said on a national television programme, where he tried to lower his tone in front of the cameras, but the controversy has already been stirred up.

The local government team refused to comment on this leak, but confirmed that no weddings have been cancelled. It also said that they have "taken measures to make the space as suitable as possible in spite of the works".

One person who has spoken out, also on social media networks and tagging the public profiles of the mayor and the town hall, was the bride who was due to celebrate her wedding last Saturday. "Not only have they (the work) started on the access road to the church, but also on the square just outside the church. All this without notifying us, and with total disregard for something as important as a wedding, which is not repeated and which entails an enormous emotional, organisational and economic effort", said the affected party in her message.

"The work has been stopped for more than a month, and now, just four days before the wedding, they are reactivating it in the most sensitive place, knowing full well what it implies. This is unacceptable, and that is why I denounce it publicly. We demand explanations and an urgent solution. This is not just a lack of organisation: it is a total lack of empathy and respect," she said.