Daniel Rivas Maldonado, a Partido Popular (PP) councillor at Nerja town hall and a figure closely associated for decades with sport and community life in ... the eastern Costa del Sol town, died on Tuesday 13 October at the age of 59 at his home in the town.
Rivas, who was married and the father of two children, one of whom is a doctor, had been on sick leave for several weeks. As SUR has been able to confirm, he was diagnosed with cancer just a month ago. However, the disease had progressed very rapidly and doctors were ultimately unable to do anything to treat it. Over the past few weeks, Rivas Maldonado had remained out of the public eye.
The mayor of Nerja, José Alberto Armijo, issued a statement on behalf of the town hall expressing his “deepest condolences” to Rivas’s wife, children and the rest of his family. Armijo spoke of his years of “dedication and public service” and his commitment to Nerja and its residents during his time as a local councillor.
Rivas joined the town hall in 2018 and, since 2019, has held administrative responsibilities in various municipal departments
Rivas’s career in local politics began in late 2018. On 27 September of that year, SUR reported that he would take up the seat vacated by Melody López, who had resigned “for professional and personal reasons”.
Following the local elections in May 2019, Rivas became part of the local government with the return of José Alberto Armijo as mayor. During that first term in office, he took on responsibility for Education, Youth and Sport. He subsequently also held responsibilities in Social Services during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Following the 2023 elections, Rivas took charge of Social Services, Equality, Youth, and Agriculture and Fisheries. Later on, he also resumed responsibility for Sport, meaning that by the end of his term in local government he was in charge of all five of these departments.
His involvement with sport in Nerja, however, dated back to well before he entered politics. Following the news of his death, the Nerja Museum recalled that as early as 1997 he was associated with the municipal sports board. Two years later, he was listed as director of the Nerja municipal futsal school, founded in 1992, which at that time comprised eleven teams and more than 150 young people.
His involvement with sport in Nerja dated back to the 1990s, long before he entered local politics
Rivas remained involved in the sport for many years and in 2015 was serving as chairman and coordinator of a football school which at that time had nine teams and over a hundred players.
One of his most recent public appearances was, in fact, linked to sport. At the beginning of September, he took part in the unveiling of the CD Nerja shirt, sponsored by the Cueva de Nerja Foundation, shortly before having to step back from municipal duties for health reasons.
Condolences
Expressions of sympathy have been pouring in. The municipal spokesperson for Podemos-Izquierda Unida, Ángela Aponte, posted a personal message on her social media and organisations, clubs, associations and local residents have also been adding their condolences Rivas' family.
The Cautivo y Desamparados Holy Week brotherhood remembered Rivas as “a wonderful person, a true friend to his friends” and highlighted his connection with the group, which he accompanied every Holy Wednesday during its penitential procession. “He always had a special affection for our group and our sacred patrons,” members stated.
Nerja thus bids farewell to a local councillor who has served on the town hall for almost eight years, initially as a member of the opposition and, since 2019, as a member of the local government led by Armijo. But it is also bidding farewell to a figure who was well known long before his time in politics for his involvement in futsal, grassroots sport, the hospitality industry and community life in the town.
The mayor declared three days of official mourning following the death of Councillor Daniel Rivas Maldonado. The period of mourning started on Wednesday 14 October and will last until 11.30am on Saturday 17 October. During this period, Nerja’s flags outside municipal buildings will fly at half-mast, while inside they will bear a black ribbon as a sign of mourning and respect. Furthermore, all official events and activities organised by Nerja town hall will be suspended during the three days of mourning.
The town hall has invited local politicians, municipal staff and the general public to join in paying their respects and offering their condolences in memory of Daniel Rivas during these days of official mourning.