The mayor of Murcia, José Ballesta, has died aged 67 after suffering from cancer since 2024. He died on Sunday at the Virgen de la Arrixaca University Hospital, marking the end of a significant political era in the Region of Murcia.

Murcia City Council has declared three days of official mourning. Flags will fly at half-mast on municipal buildings and institutional events have been suspended. In a statement, the council said the city had lost not only its mayor but “a person who dedicated his life to public service, constant work and commitment to his neighbours”.

Ballesta had continued in office despite a marked decline in his health in recent months. His final public appearance was on 30 April, when he chaired a council meeting but had to leave early. He also attended major Holy Week events and recent traditional celebrations in the city.

Before entering politics, Ballesta was a professor of medicine and rector of the University of Murcia from 1998 to 2006. He later served in the regional government and was elected mayor in 2015, 2019 and 2023, governing in two separate periods. He is the first sitting mayor in Murcia’s recent democratic history to die in office.