María Blasco Clings to CNIO After Her Dismissal and Continues Going to Her Office

María Blasco, former director of the National Cancer Research Center (CNIO), clings to her position despite having been officially dismissed.

In a farewell letter to the workers, Blasco stated that "in life, one must know how to arrive and how to leave." However, her attitude after being dismissed on January 29 seems to contradict her own words.

Although her dismissal was immediate, she continues to occupy her office and parking space, as well as continuing to give orders to the center's communication department.

Internal sources at the CNIO claim that the former director will not leave her position until February 20. According to Blasco, she still has 15 days of tenure in the position from the official notification of her dismissal.

However, labor law experts explain that this interpretation is incorrect. The applicable regulations for senior executives establish that they are not entitled to a 15-day notice. Generally, this implies a minimum notice of three months or a compensatory severance.

A Center with Two Directors

Meanwhile, Blasco remains in her office, the CNIO officially has a new interim director. It is Fernando Peláez, head of the Biotechnology Program, who assumed the position after Blasco's dismissal.

Nonetheless, the former director continues to make appearances at the center, using the resources allocated to her former position.

The situation has caused discomfort among CNIO workers, who wish to close this chapter marked by controversy.

In recent weeks, the institution has been in the eye of the storm due to various reports of alleged waste, irregular contracts, and abuse of power by its former director.

Blasco was dismissed after details of an expensive art program were revealed, which included trips around the world and the purchase of works for nearly one million euros.

The initiative, known as CNIO-Arte, was suspended on December 17 by order of the center's board. However, two months later, the CNIO continues to pay the salaries of the three people hired specifically for this project.

An Artistic Program Unrelated to Cancer Research

The CNIO-Arte project was promoted under María Blasco's direction and caused numerous criticisms. Its purpose was supposedly to unite art with science, but it ended up representing a high economic cost that has been questioned.

Among the acquisitions of the program are works valued at nearly one million euros.

Despite the project's suspension, the CNIO continues to allocate funds to pay the salaries of those who managed it.

Among them, Juan de Nieves, director of the center's Institutional Image Office and main person responsible for the program. His salary is around 100,000 euros annually, and his professional career is linked to the art world, with no direct relation to scientific research.

In addition to de Nieves, two other employees continue to receive salaries from the CNIO: an assistant and a worker from the communication department.

The total cost of these three salaries amounts to 200,000 euros per year, an expense that many consider unnecessary.

Meanwhile, the CNIO board seeks to regain stability after these months of controversies. However, Blasco's legacy, marked by questionable decisions and million-euro expenses unrelated to cancer research, continues to raise questions.

The scientific community and the center's workers hope that her definitive departure will allow them to turn the page and resume research work without further distractions.