MADRID, Spain — Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE) President Cristina Narbona has acknowledged the existence of “worrying indications” regarding the party’s alleged underground networks, though she firmly distanced herself from the actions under investigation. Her statements were made during a brief testimony before National Court Judge Santiago Pedraz on Wednesday as part of the ongoing probe into the so-called “Leire Díez case.”
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Appearing as a witness for less than thirty minutes, Narbona confirmed her acquaintance with Leire Díez dating back to 2017, when Díez was active in the regional party structure in Cantabria, and later during her tenure at Enusa, the state-owned uranium company. However, the party president was careful to characterize Díez merely as an acquaintance rather than a personal friend, establishing a clear boundary regarding their relationship.
During her testimony, Narbona corroborated details previously uncovered by the Civil Guard’s Central Operational Unit (UCO) in their forensic analysis of Díez’s mobile phone. Specifically, she confirmed engaging in a WhatsApp exchange with Díez in April 2024, a critical period coinciding with Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s “days of reflection” regarding his political future. Judicial investigators allege this timeframe marked the genesis of a coordinated effort, purportedly orchestrated by former party organization secretary Santos Cerdán and executed by Díez, aimed at destabilizing judicial proceedings that threatened the party, the government, or the Prime Minister’s family.
La presidenta del PSOE Cristina Narbona admite ante el juez que existen "indicios preocupantes" en el caso Leire Díez https://t.co/v3UhT98xOW
— 20minutos.es (@20m) July 16, 2026
According to the UCO reports, Díez had offered to “redirect” attacks against the Prime Minister, provide “qualified help,” and completely reverse the narrative of the situation. In her defense, Narbona explained to the magistrate that she immediately directed Díez to take such matters up with Santos Cerdán, thereby removing herself from the equation. She further emphasized that she holds no executive authority at the party’s Ferraz headquarters and spends the majority of her working hours fulfilling her duties at the Congress of Deputies.
Narbona firmly denied being present at any of the meetings Díez allegedly held within the party headquarters, reinforcing her stance that while she is aware of the troubling elements within the investigation, she bears no operational responsibility or involvement in the events under judicial scrutiny.
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As the judicial process advances, the testimony of high-ranking party officials continues to shape the court’s understanding of the alleged network’s structure and reach.
