Spanish prosecutors demand transparency over secret meetings between ex-AG's deputy and PSOE-linked figures
Two major Spanish prosecutors' associations have demanded an internal investigation and warned the current Attorney General she must resign if the institution remains opaque about two undisclosed meetings between the former deputy attorney general and individuals linked to the ruling PSOE party.
The secret meetings
The Fiscalía General del Estado (FGE) has confirmed that Diego Villafañe, the former deputy attorney general and right-hand man to ex-Attorney General Álvaro García Ortiz, held two meetings in March and April 2025 with Leire Díez and Jacobo Teijelo. Díez is a former PSOE militant described in multiple reports as the party's 'plumber' for sensitive operations, while Teijelo is the lawyer for former PSOE official Santos Cerdán. The meetings took place at the FGE headquarters on Calle Fortuny in Madrid.
According to the FGE's account to Judge Santiago Pedraz of the Audiencia Nacional, Teijelo presented information about "hechos presuntamente cometidos por terceras personas que podrían tener relevancia penal" (acts allegedly committed by third parties that could have criminal relevance) and expressed an intention to file several complaints. The FGE stated that García Ortiz was informed "a posteriori" of these meetings, whose content was later summarized in a press release.
Prosecutors react with indignation
Two major prosecutors' associations issued strongly-worded statements on Thursday. The Asociación de Fiscales (AF) expressed "profunda indignación" (deep indignation) at what it called the "insuficiente respuesta" (insufficient response) from the FGE. The Asociación Profesional Independiente de Fiscales (APIF) described the meetings as being of "máxima gravedad" (maximum gravity) and said the published information "apuntan indiciariamente a una posible cooperación de la Fiscalía General del Estado para apoyar las estrategias de influencias, corrupción y falsedad de los citados investigados" (points indicatively to possible cooperation by the FGE to support strategies of influence, corruption and falsehood by those under investigation).
Si la FGE persiste en su opacidad, debe dimitir, ya que el Ministerio Público exige una transparencia total como garantía ciudadana.
The associations raised three key unanswered questions: why Villafañe accepted the two meetings, what their real objective was, and why the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office was not informed. The APIF noted that the Technical Secretariat, where Villafañe served, has no jurisdiction over specific criminal matters, its role being limited to advising the Attorney General and drafting binding doctrinal documents.
Anomalies in procedure
Sources within the prosecutorial career consulted by La Razón described the meetings as accumulating too many anomalies to be considered routine. They noted it is not normal for private individuals to go directly to the FGE to present complaints when standard channels such as the Provincial Prosecutor's Office exist. "Es anómalo" (It's anomalous), the sources said.
Further concerns center on the absence of formal documentation. No administrative file was opened, nor was there any formal entry record for Díez and Teijelo at the FGE headquarters. This contradicts an internal circular approved by the FGE two years ago requiring an administrative file to be opened for any matter. Sources questioned the official line that the complaints "carecían de sustento suficiente para impulsar actuación alguna" (lacked sufficient basis to prompt any action), asking why the information was elevated to the Attorney General if it had no relevance.
The broader investigation
The meetings came to light through the investigation by the Unidad Central Operativa (UCO) of the Guardia Civil into the so-called 'cloacas' (sewers) case. The UCO intercepted phone messages and handwritten notes from Leire Díez suggesting she had a trusted relationship with the FGE during García Ortiz's tenure. The UCO also geolocated the individuals on Calle Fortuny and suspects up to four such meetings may have occurred.
El Confidencial reported that the meetings took place shortly after a February 2025 gathering where Díez, Teijelo and businessman Javier Pérez Dolset allegedly asked industrialist Alejandro Hamlyn to provide information to "matar" (kill, figuratively) Lieutenant Colonel Antonio Balas of the UCO and several prosecutors. The UCO reports indicate the network aimed to coordinate with the Public Prosecutor's Office to launch an offensive against prosecutors and agents working on corruption cases affecting the PSOE.
Political dimension
ERC spokesman Gabriel Rufián stated in Congress on Thursday that if Leire Díez was able to meet with the FGE on two occasions, it was because she had the "mandato de la dirección del PSOE" (mandate of the PSOE leadership). He characterized the operation as an attempt to imitate the methods associated with former commissioner Villarejo, though he described the PSOE's version as "más cutre" (more shoddy).
Journalist Antonio García Ferreras criticized the PSOE's initial denials of any contacts, noting the party first responded "rotundamente no" (absolutely not) before the meetings were eventually acknowledged. "Nos intentan hacer una especie de cortina de humo" (They're trying to create a smokescreen), Ferreras said.
- Leire Díez, Jacobo Teijelo and Javier Pérez Dolset allegedly ask Alejandro Hamlyn for information to target UCO officers and prosecutors.
- First meeting between Diego Villafañe, Leire Díez and Jacobo Teijelo at FGE headquarters.
- Second meeting takes place between late March and early April 2025.
- FGE confirms the two meetings to Judge Santiago Pedraz after UCO investigation reveals messages and geolocation data.
- AF and APIF prosecutors' associations issue statements demanding transparency and warning of resignation if opacity persists.
