Acting mayor Rebeca Pérez pens column on birds returning to Murcia

Rebeca Pérez used a May 17 opinion column to turn a small urban detail into a public tribute to Murcia’s late mayor, José Ballesta. In the piece, published by Murcia Plaza, the acting mayor recalled a walk with Ballesta along Alfonso X after its pedestrianization, when she realized birds could be heard again in the city center. She presented that moment as part of Ballesta’s view of governing the city through streets, squares and public space, according to the column. Pérez is serving as acting mayor after Ballesta’s death and is expected to be formally appointed on May 22. ### What did Pérez actually write about the birds? Rebeca Pérez wrote that during a walk with José Ballesta on Alfonso X after the avenue’s pedestrianization, she noticed “habían vuelto los pájaros,” or that the birds had returned. She said the sound was heard again “en pleno centro de Murcia,” linking the memory to the physical transformation of the area rather than to a wildlife survey or municipal biodiversity report. (murciaplaza.com) The Murcia Plaza column was published under the headline “Cuando volvieron los pájaros a Murcia” and labeled as an opinion piece. Pérez framed the anecdote inside a broader remembrance of Ballesta, writing that he saw politics as service to neighbors and that he was deeply attached to Murcia’s streets, neighborhoods and traditions. (murciaplaza.com) ### Why is the column tied so closely to José Ballesta? José Ballesta’s death earlier in May set the immediate context for the piece. Pérez wrote that Murcia had spent the week saying goodbye to its mayor, describing lines of residents, flowers and messages of condolence, and she used the bird anecdote as a memory from working alongside him. (murciaplaza.com) Murcia’s succession process also explains why Pérez’s byline carried political weight. Rebeca Pérez became acting mayor after Ballesta’s death under local succession rules, and multiple Spanish media outlets reported that the city council is scheduled to hold an extraordinary session on May 22 to appoint her as mayor. (murciaplaza.com) ### What is Alfonso X, and why does it matter in this story? Alfonso X is one of Murcia’s main central avenues and a flagship pedestrianization project from Ballesta’s time in office. City strategy material says the works were carried out in two phases, with the first beginning in February 2018 and the second inaugurated in November 2019. (eldiario.es) A municipal-project summary and contemporaneous coverage described the avenue as a 15,000-square-meter pedestrian route connecting key parts of the city center. In her column, Pérez pointed to that setting as the place where she understood the change was not only about making room for walking or modernizing an avenue. (estrategiamurcia.es) ### Did Pérez present the birds as evidence of a policy result? Rebeca Pérez did not cite measurements, species counts or an environmental study in the column. She used the return of birds as a personal observation and as a memory from a walk with Ballesta, writing in reflective terms about what the change in public space meant to her. (eysmunicipales.es) Murcia’s broader planning language has connected pedestrian space with a greener and more walkable city. Later reporting on the city’s mobility plan said officials were using Alfonso X as a model for additional pedestrian axes, describing the earlier project as part of an effort to recover public space for pedestrians. (murciaplaza.com) ### Why did this become a political story, not just a local column? Rebeca Pérez is not only the author of the column but also Murcia’s acting mayor and the politician set to become the city’s first woman mayor. Reporting in recent days said she took over provisionally after Ballesta’s death and confirmed on May 14 that she would assume the office formally. (eldiario.es) Her public remarks since then have stressed continuity with Ballesta’s team and agenda. On May 14, Pérez told reporters that “Los murcianos necesitan certezas” and said the city government remained in the hands of Ballesta’s team, while declining to address whether she would be the candidate in the 2027 municipal elections. (eldiario.es) ### What happens next in Murcia? May 22 is the next key date in the story. Local and national media have reported that Murcia’s city council will hold an extraordinary plenary session that day to vote on Pérez’s appointment as mayor, a step expected to carry her through the rest of the term until the 2027 municipal elections. (europapress.es)