Who is Juan Antonio March Pujol? Spain's India ambassador set to be replaced over spending row

Spain is poised to replace its ambassador to India, Juan Antonio March Pujol, following controversy surrounding his expenditure on cultural events in the country. The diplomat, who has been in the position since September 2024, is expected to be succeeded within the coming weeks, as per reports from Spanish digital daily The Objective.

Juan Antonio March, a seasoned Spanish diplomat with nearly three decades of experience, has held various high-ranking diplomatic roles in the past. These have included stints as Spain's ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan. Furthermore, he has also worked in London, Rome, and Mexico, as well as serving on the International Advisory Board of Abertis and as a Partner of Counsel at ECIJA.

March's career has been marked by his focus on international cooperation and multilateral affairs. However, his tenure as India's ambassador has been marred by scrutiny over his management of funds and organization of cultural events. In particular, questions have been raised about the approval process for these events and the use of embassy funds.

Moreover, the controversy has expanded to involve Chinese-German national Zhu Huiling, who received €18,000 from the Spanish embassy for concerts in New Delhi, Kathmandu, and Bhutan, during March's tenure. This hiring has been criticized as it contradicts the Spanish practice of promoting local artists or those with ties to Spain.

The controversy came to light after the Spanish embassy's cultural attaché reported to Madrid about plans to raise funds for future concerts without seeking prior approval from the foreign ministry. Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares has since directed the government to appoint Alfredo Martínez Serrano, the current ambassador to Canada, as the new ambassador to India.