MADRID, Spain — National Court Judge Santiago Pedraz has formally indicted the Director General of the Civil Guard, Mercedes González, and the force’s Deputy Operational Director, Manuel Llamas, for alleged administrative prevarication and crimes against the administration of justice. The ruling stems from the ongoing investigation into the so-called “PSOE dirty tricks” case, centering on the alleged illicit influence of controversial informant Leire Díez.
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Acting on a request from the Anti-Corruption Prosecution and supported by the unified popular accusations led by the PP, Pedraz has scheduled González and Llamas to testify before the magistrate on July 16. This follows the scheduled appearance of prosecutors Diego Villafañe and Beatriz López, who will testify as witnesses the previous day. The judge declined to indict former Civil Guard Director Leonardo Marcos, concluding that the conduct described regarding him did not constitute a specific criminal offense under the penal code.
The investigation revolves around allegations that Díez leveraged her purported close relationship with González to orchestrate internal actions against the Central Operative Unit (UCO). According to UCO reports, the elite police unit was a primary target of these alleged illicit operations due to its work on judicial cases involving the PSOE and the family of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez. Investigators claim Díez successfully instigated administrative measures against the UCO, prompting the unit to interrogate its own personnel, including former UCO chief Rafael Yuste.
During his testimony, Yuste alleged that Llamas pressured him to distance himself from politically sensitive cases linked to the ruling party and the government. Yuste also recounted a meeting where Leonardo Marcos heavily criticized a UCO report concerning the Prime Minister’s brother, labeling it as speculative and malicious, and allegedly demanding a subsequent report that would contain no incriminating findings. Meanwhile, González testified before the Senate in June, acknowledging her meetings with Díez but vehemently denying any coordination to pressure the UCO, though she admitted to opening reserved investigations following leaks of private messages between senior political figures.
🚨DEGRADACIÓN total en España. La jefa de la Guardia Civil (Mercedes González, nombrada por Marlaska) IMPUTADA también por prevaricación y obstrucción a la justicia. La apodada como "dormilona" estaría usando su posición para frenar pesquisas de la UCO contra el PSOE. ¿Es normal? pic.twitter.com/a2JWP6nt9H
— Capitán Bitcoin (@CapitanBitcoin) July 2, 2026
In a significant expansion of the broader probe, the magistrate has agreed to incorporate testimonies from businesswoman Carmen Pano regarding the Koldo case and a separate hydrocarbon VAT fraud investigation. Pano has previously alleged delivering 90,000 euros in cash to the PSOE headquarters on Ferraz Street at the behest of Víctor de Aldama. UCO intelligence suggests that the alleged dirty tricks network attempted to bribe Pano and her driver through Koldo García’s lawyer, Leticia de la Hoz, to alter her judicial testimony. Consequently, De la Hoz has been summoned to testify as an investigated party on July 14.
The judicial order also targets the political financing and legal contracts of the socialist party. Following the testimony of lawyer Jacobo Teijelo, who served as a legal advisor to the PSOE between late 2024 and mid-2025 before taking over the defense of Santos Cerdán, Judge Pedraz has demanded the party identify the official who signed his contract. Furthermore, the judge has requested documentation from the Ministry of Justice regarding the nationality file of Venezuelan national Nervis Villalobos, driven by suspicions that Díez may have exerted improper influence over the administrative process.
As the judicial investigation deepens into the alleged illicit networks within the political and law enforcement spheres, the National Court continues to unravel the complex web of relationships and influence peddling.
