The Spanish Civil Guard has detained Rafael Pineda, the former chief of staff of the government delegation in Andalusia. The operation, codenamed 'Morena,' involves suspicions of corruption, influence peddling, and money laundering. A key aspect is the sale of a municipal plot at a below-market price, which was quickly resold for enormous profit. The court released the suspects on bail while imposing an embargo on their assets.

Detention of Rafael Pineda

The former chief of staff of the government delegation in Andalusia was arrested by the UCO on charges of corruption and influence peddling.

Controversial plot sale

The investigation concerns a plot in Higuerón Norte, which the politician's wife bought from the city cheaply and sold for a multi-million euro profit.

Release on bail

Judge Pilar Ordóñez released five people from custody but imposed a lien on their assets due to the seriousness of the charges.

The Central Operational Unit (UCO) of the Spanish Civil Guard carried out a large-scale operation targeting political structures in Andalusia. The main suspect is Rafael Pineda, a once-influential Socialist politician and close collaborator of the Vice President of the Congress of Deputies. The investigation, led by the court of first instance in Seville, concerns irregularities in the disposal of a public plot covering 10,000 square meters. This property, originally owned by the municipal housing company Emvisesa, ended up in the hands of Pineda's wife at a price significantly below market value. During the investigation, it was established that just a few months after purchase, the plot was sold for a multi-million euro profit. The prosecution and investigating judge Pilar Ordóñez are examining whether bribery occurred and whether Pineda used his position in the government delegation to facilitate this transaction. The situation is particularly difficult for the ruling Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE), as the scandal erupted on the eve of the election campaign in Andalusia. The opposition People's Party (PP) is demanding immediate explanations from the central government, pointing to the detainees' connections with high-ranking state officials. Andalusia has been a bastion of Spanish socialists for decades, but numerous corruption scandals, such as the high-profile ERE affair involving severance funds, led to a historic change of power in the region in favor of conservatives in 2018.During interrogations, all detainees exercised their right to remain silent. The court decided to release them from custody but applied preventive measures, including seizure of properties and blocking of bank accounts. Investigators also suspect the case may be linked to a broader network involved in drugs and money laundering in the municipality of Gines. The atmosphere is further heated by the fact that Pineda allegedly formatted his work computer just before detention, seen as an attempt to destroy evidence. „It is scandalous that a public plot was essentially hijacked by the party and family interests of a high-ranking Socialist official.” — Juan de la RosaOperation on the Higuerón plot: Original owner: Emvisesa (city) → Olga Pérez (Pineda's wife); Property valuation: Below market price → Over two million euros profit; Ownership period: Years in city inventory → Resale after 4-5 months

Mentioned People

  • Rafael Pineda — Former chief of staff in the government delegation in Andalusia, main suspect in a corruption investigation concerning land transactions.
  • Alfonso Rodríguez Gómez de Celis — Vice President of the Congress of Deputies of Spain, mentioned as Pineda's political mentor.
  • Pilar Ordóñez — Investigating judge leading the Operation Morena case in Seville.
  • Pedro Fernández — Current government delegate in Andalusia, to whom Pineda reported before leaving his position.