Spain names Antonio Ansón Latorre to lead Tax Agency amid political tensions over Catalan financing and Zapatero probe

A technical profile with international experience

Antonio Ansón Latorre, 64, a tax inspector since 1999 and a former IMF adviser, was approved by the Council of Ministers on Tuesday. He had been serving as chief of staff to the secretary of state for finance, Jesús Gascón, since April 2025. The Ministry of Finance described him as a figure with deep knowledge of the tax system and a solid international track record.

His deep knowledge of the Tax Administration and the Spanish tax system, together with his managerial experience in the public service and his solid international background, endorse a profile that is especially qualified to lead the Tax Agency in this new phase.

Ansón began his career as a tax technician in 1988 and later held roles in taxpayer services, collection, and human resources. He spent eight years at the International Monetary Fund in Washington, where he worked as a senior economist in the Fiscal Affairs Department.

A departure delayed by the tax campaign

Soledad Fernández had asked to be relieved months ago, according to Finance Minister Arcadi España. The minister asked her to stay until the end of the annual income tax campaign, which concluded in late June. Her departure coincides with the pending exits of the directors of Collection and of Financial and Tax Inspection, who have applied for finance counsellor posts at embassies abroad.

When I was appointed minister, I met with senior officials and the director of the Tax Agency told me that, after several years at the helm, she wanted to be replaced in the normal way.

Political noise around the agency

The handover unfolds against a backdrop of political friction. The agency is under scrutiny over the so-called Zapatero case, an investigation into the former prime minister and his family's personal income, VAT, wealth, and large fortunes tax returns for the years 2021 to 2024. Separately, the financing pact between the Catalan Republican Left (ERC) and the Socialist Party (PSOE) to facilitate Salvador Illa's investiture as president of the Generalitat includes the transfer of tax collection and management to the Catalan Tax Agency, a move that has stirred unease within the AEAT.

Internal misgivings

Some staff view Ansón's appointment as a political choice designed to manage the Catalan tax agency transfer. The decision was received with distrust by a significant part of the workforce, according to El Confidencial. The ministry has sought to dismiss rumours about the reasons behind the departure of the previous director and two other senior area heads.