A theft at the Fuente de Cantos post office has stolen 124 mail-in votes and 14,000 euros, on the eve of the December 21 regional elections. The Civil Guard is investigating the incident as common delinquency, but the PP denounces it as an attack on democracy. Affected voters will be able to vote again.
On December 18, 2025, during the early hours, thieves broke into the Fuente de Cantos post office in Badajoz and stole the safe containing 124 mail-in votes along with 14,000 euros in cash, lottery tickets, and office materials. The safe was later found in a rural area of Talavera la Real, 95 kilometers away, forced open with an object similar to a thermal lance and surrounded by burned documents, which the Civil Guard is analyzing to see if they include the stolen ballots.
The Civil Guard classifies the incident as 'common delinquency', part of a series of assaults on post offices in Badajoz province, including failed attempts in Santa Amalia, Torremejía, and Talavera la Real that same night, and four other robberies between October and November. Correos has confirmed that the 124 affected voters can cast their votes again, according to the Provincial Electoral Board of Badajoz. In total, 16,193 mail-in votes have been admitted in Extremadura, a 49.54% decrease from the 2023 elections.
The president of Extremadura and PP candidate, María Guardiola, reacted by posting a video on X: 'Don't let them steal our democracy. This Sunday, vote for the future of Extremadura.' She denounced the facts to the Central Electoral Board and warned that 'they are stealing our democracy right in front of our eyes.' The PP leader, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, demanded explanations from the government: 'It is an extraordinary serious fact that admits no silence.' Meanwhile, Vox's Santiago Abascal warned: 'We can fear the worst' regarding possible electoral manipulation.
The PP also reported complaints about missing party ballots in some mail-in envelopes, fueling suspicions in the final stretch of the campaign for the December 21 regional elections.
