Andorra Parishes End Carnival with Satirical Mock Trials on Housing and Politics

Andorra's parishes have concluded their Carnival season with a series of traditional mock trials and burnings of the rei carnestoltes effigy, featuring sharp satire on local issues from housing shortages to urban development.

In Ordino, poor weather forced the annual Judici dels Contrabandistes indoors to the Andorra Congrés Centre Ordino. Performers targeted traffic disruptions from rugby events, temporary buzz around the Small States Games, tiny houses, the Sornàs dog park, and young adults in their forties still living with parents amid housing woes. A highlight came with a satirical Miguel Bosé character, who parodying his hit "Amante Bandido" as "Amante de Ordino," complained of Ordino's steep slopes and "inconvenients" before announcing a move to Canillo—joking it had nothing to do with tax evasion. Organisers from the Associació de Cultura Popular d’Ordino, including Maria Zorzano, prepared fresh sketches over three weeks of rehearsals with 20 to 30 participants. The event ended with stew distribution, followed by afternoon children's dances and hot chocolate.

Canillo marked its finale at the telecabina building with hundreds attending a public trial of the rei carnestoltes. The quadrilla organised the event, which included local critiques and ended with the effigy's burning and a botifarrada distributing 300 portions. Cònsol major Jordi Alcobé thanked participants for their involvement.

Andorra la Vella and Escaldes-Engordany held their ceremony, blending dances by the Andorra la Vella and Santa Anna esbarts with satire on Rotonda crepe queues, rental prices, high-rise towers, influencers outworking politicians, eroding Catalan in shop names, and political tensions. The effigy was convicted "of making us laugh and cry over impossible rents," then burned.

In Encamp, a separate sketch drew backlash from the Jewish community: the rei carnestoltes effigy wore an Israeli flag on its head while shots symbolised the Gaza conflict, targeting Benjamin Netanyahu. Organisers clarified it was political satire, not aimed at any religion or people, in line with traditions parodying figures like Xavier Espot and the EU without prior uproar. Culture councillor Joan Sans defended the format as core to the Ossa dance festivities.