New Book Exposes Andorra's Gay Lobby and Power Networks

Journalist and author Joaquín Abad has released a new book titled *El lobby gay andorrano. Las redes invisibles del poder en el Principado*, profiling prominent figures in Andorra and their career paths.

The work features detailed biographies, described in the preface as more polished than a standard CV or LinkedIn profile. It opens with the observation that in small countries, silence carries more weight than words, and influence often stems from networks of trust, discreet loyalties, and shared affinities rather than overt conspiracies. The first chapter includes a "who's who" section covering an entity in the banking sector.

The book presents Head of Government Xavier Espot under the heading "power and discretion." Espot publicly identified as gay in a September interview with Ràdio Nacional d'Andorra, stating he had never hidden it and hoping his openness would support young people facing difficulties due to their sexual orientation. He acknowledged that some sectors still view homosexuality as an anomaly.

Many details in the book draw from publicly known events covered in local media, such as the 2018 wedding dubbed "the wedding of the year" between Jordi Cerqueda Donadeu and his long-term partner Fernando Romero. The event gained attention even in Spanish outlets and featured a public chocolate fountain in Ordino's main square, accompanied by performances from Andorra's castellers and esbart dancers—contrasting the preface's portrayal of the gay community as low-key and traceless in its conversations.

Abad's research relies heavily on archival newspaper reviews, showcasing his prolific output. A former director of *El Caso* and *La Crónica de Almería*, he has authored books on corruption in Spain's PP and PSOE parties, biographies of figures like Santiago Carrillo, emeritus King Juan Carlos I, Queen Letizia, Cristina Kirchner, and others, as well as novels involving Pablo Escobar, ETA, and Andorra; secrets beneath Lake Engolasters; and a bestselling title facing a sequestration lawsuit that has sold nearly 15,000 copies.

The author attributes his novels' success to breaking local omertà around questionable fortune origins, blending real people into sensational stories under the guise of 80% fiction. Available on Amazon, the book notes that personal trajectories here warrant the same scrutiny as official statements, amid solid institutions and familiar surnames. Critics see it as sensational titles attached to familiar biographies, offering little new insight.

Andorra's constitution bans discrimination, and its Council of Europe membership includes ratification of the European Convention on Human Rights. Same-sex marriage has been legal since 21 July 2022.