Xavier Amor replaces Eduard Rivas as head of Illa's Cabinet

Xavier Amor will be the new head of Salvador Illa's Cabinet following the resignation of Eduard Rivas, who is under investigation related to his time as mayor of Esparreguera. The appointment will be made official this Tuesday.

The appointment of Xavier Amor as the new head of the Cabinet of the president of the Generalitat, Salvador Illa, will be made official on Tuesday, according to laciutat.cat citing the Departament de la Presidència. Amor replaces Eduard Rivas, who had submitted his resignation.

Rivas's departure comes after the lifting of the secrecy of a judicial investigation linked to his time as mayor of Esparreguera. In a statement, Rivas claims he has been aware of the investigation for ten months and that after learning on Thursday, October 29 that the proceedings were no longer under secrecy, he decided to resign the following day.

The case investigates the Fundació per a la Inclusió Laboral (FIL), based in Esparreguera. Rivas was a trustee of this entity during his term as mayor, along with four other mayors from the region.

“I am convinced I have always acted in accordance with the law,” states the former chief of staff.

Rivas maintains that he has acted with honour and public ethics, adding that he has left the position to avoid any “shadow of doubt” over the exercise of his functions. Illa had already renewed his trust in Rivas at the end of April, when the investigation became known.

Illa has thanked Rivas for his “commitment” and the “services rendered,” and Rivas, for his part, says he feels “very honoured” by his time at the head of the Cabinet.

Xavier Amor was born in Pineda de Mar in 1975 and is currently the secretary of Local Governments and Relations with Aran. He was mayor of Pineda for seventeen years, from 2007 to 2024, and previously served as a councillor for eight years.

Amor presided over the Federació de Municipis de Catalunya from 2013 to 2019. He holds a degree in Business Administration and Management and has studied Trade and Public Sector Governance.