Spain's PP seeks indictment of Civil Guard chief and top commanders in Leire Díez influence-peddling case
The Partido Popular (PP) has asked the National Court to indict the director general of the Guardia Civil, her predecessor and the deputy director of operations for their alleged role in a scheme to obstruct investigations affecting the ruling Socialist party.
PP's legal push
The Partido Popular, which leads the popular prosecution in the so-called Leire Díez case, filed a petition with judge Santiago Pedraz at the Audiencia Nacional on Wednesday requesting the indictment of Mercedes González, director general of the Guardia Civil, her predecessor Leonardo Marcos, and deputy director of operations (DAO) Manuel Llamas. The PP argues the three officials collaborated with a network that sought to destabilise, discredit and hamper judicial and police probes that threatened the PSOE and members of the government.
Leire Díez presumía de tener 'control absoluto' sobre la directora general.
The alleged González-Díez connection
Investigators assert that Mercedes González and Leire Díez, a former PSOE militant accused of coordinating the operation, maintained a personal relationship that predated González's appointment and continued after she took office on 17 September 2024. UCO reports document at least three face-to-face meetings between the two women on 30 September and 20 December 2024, and 2 April 2025, plus multiple instant-messaging contacts. The PP's writ claims that Díez used her access to the director general to trigger internal administrative actions against the UCO.
I have never, ever participated in any plot or conspiracy against the Central Operative Unit or any member of the force, neither under the influence of Ms Leire Díez nor anyone else.
- Mercedes González takes office as director general of the Guardia Civil.
- First recorded meeting between González and Leire Díez.
- Second meeting between González and Leire Díez.
- Third meeting between González and Leire Díez.
- Internal investigation against the UCO is ordered; González and Díez exchange WhatsApp messages.
- González testifies before the Senate, denying involvement in any plot against the UCO.
- PP files indictment request; judge Pedraz agrees to summon prosecutors as witnesses.
Pressure on the UCO
The petition draws on testimony from former UCO chief Rafael Yuste, who told the court that DAO Llamas instructed commanders to "keep a low profile" and "not be proactive" in cases with "political implications", citing specifically the investigation involving the brother of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez. Yuste added that the officers did not feel personally pressured. The PP also accuses Leonardo Marcos of deliberately concealing for ten days a note from the Information Headquarters that warned of an aggressive disinformation campaign by the PSOE network aimed at destroying ongoing investigations.
On 11 May 2025, the day internal UCO investigation was ordered after EL MUNDO published WhatsApp messages between former minister José Luis Ábalos and Prime Minister Sánchez, WhatsApp logs show two contacts between González and Leire Díez. According to a UCO report, the first message is consistent with a previous conversation having been deleted and a new one started, while the second indicates the director general activated a 24-hour automatic message deletion setting.
Wider judicial developments
The same day the PP filed its indictment request, judge Pedraz agreed to call state prosecutors Diego Villafañe and Beatriz López Pesquera as witnesses. They too met with the PSOE fixer at the headquarters of the Attorney General's Office. González had already appeared before the Senate justice committee on 16 June, where she denied any involvement in the alleged scheme.
