Spain's Guardia Civil deputy chief admits minister called over Begoña Gómez email leak in 'cloacas' case

Testimony of the highest uniformed officer

Manuel Llamas, the director adjunto operativo (DAO) of the Guardia Civil, appeared before Judge Santiago Pedraz at the Audiencia Nacional on 16 July 2026 as a suspect in the so-called 'cloacas del PSOE' case. The investigation examines whether a campaign orchestrated by former PSOE militant Leire Díez, with funding from the party's headquarters on Calle Ferraz, sought to discredit the Unidad Central Operativa (UCO) and derail corruption probes affecting the government and the prime minister's circle. Llamas, defended by state attorney Edmundo Bal, answered questions from the anti-corruption prosecutor and the popular prosecution led by the Partido Popular for over two hours. He denied having pressured the UCO to 'stand aside' in the investigation into David Sánchez, the prime minister's brother, who was sentenced this week to nine years of disqualification for prevarication.

The email leak and the calls from Marlaska and González

The questioning centred on an internal investigation opened after Begoña Gómez's personal email address appeared in a UCO report on David Sánchez and was later published in the press. Llamas told the court that on the morning of 29 November 2024, the director general of the Guardia Civil, Mercedes González, telephoned him to ask why the email had been included. He then contacted the then head of the Judicial Police, General Alfonso López Malo, who gave an explanation Llamas described as 'poco clara' (unclear). Shortly afterwards, Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska called Llamas with the same query. Llamas said Gómez had begun receiving messages full of 'insults and pornographic content' after the leak. Unsatisfied with the initial account, he ordered a detailed report and, on 4 December 2024, opened an internal investigation that concluded with a proposal for a verbal reprimand.

The 'cloacas' campaign and Leire Díez

According to the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office, the 'cloacas' operation was set in motion during the five days of reflection that Pedro Sánchez took after Begoña Gómez was charged on 24 April 2024. A key moment came in February 2025, when Leire Díez, described as the PSOE's 'fontanera' (plumber), met with a businessman implicated in a hydrocarbons case, along with entrepreneur Javier Pérez Dolset and former lawyer Jacobo Teijelo. At that meeting, Díez sought compromising data on Lieutenant Colonel Antonio Balas, head of the UCO's economic crimes department, and on the chief anti-corruption prosecutor, Alejandro Luzón. Llamas acknowledged that a prosecutor had warned the UCO about the discrediting campaign and said he would provide that information to the court.

Internal probes and the 'proactive' instruction

Llamas justified the opening of three internal investigations into the UCO as normal practice, denying any link to a scheme to obstruct justice. He admitted, however, that he had instructed the UCO not to be 'proactivos' in judicial proceedings, though he insisted this was to prevent agents from encroaching on the investigating judge's powers. Several UCO commanders had previously testified that the DAO ordered them to 'ponerse de perfil' (stand aside). Llamas rejected that phrase but confirmed he had told them not to take the initiative in the inquiries. He also stated that he sometimes learned of UCO investigations 'through the press'.

Reactions and the May 2 audios

As Llamas testified, the Asociación Unificada de la Guardia Civil (AUGC) called for his resignation and that of Mercedes González, who is due to appear before the judge on 17 July.

The guilt will be determined by Judge Pedraz, but they should take responsibility for the damage they are doing to the Guardia Civil and our image.

Madrazo warned that the leadership could interfere with the investigation and criticised a double standard whereby rank-and-file officers are suspended when under investigation while the top brass remain in post. Separately, audios published by ABC revealed that a superior, citing a direct order from Marlaska, tried to force General Fernando Mora, head of the Guardia Civil in the Madrid region, to boycott the Community of Madrid's 2 May event. Mora refused, stating that the Guardia Civil must be impartial, and the regional government has demanded explanations.