In Madrid, the fourth week of hearings in the Kitchen case—a high-profile trial about the unauthorized police operation against the former treasurer of the People’s Party—concluded this week. The key moment was a new statement from inspector jefe Manuel Morocho, who led the Gürtel investigation and had previously reported attempts to pressure his work.
At Thursday’s session, Morocho gave a detailed account of how high-ranking police officials tried to obstruct his investigation. According to him, the leadership delayed handing over important documents to the judge, insisted on removing the name of then-Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy from reports, and even offered him a more lucrative position in exchange for his loyalty. The inspector stressed that Operation Kitchen was carried out without a court sanction and was hidden not only from his unit, but also from Judge Pablo Ruz, who was handling the case against Luis Bárcenas.
Interrogations and new statements
During the hearings, Morocho has already answered questions from the prosecution, state representatives, and other accusers. On Thursday, he was scheduled to hear questions from the defense attorneys, except for the defense of former Interior Minister Jorge Fernández Díaz, who had already questioned the inspector the previous day. According to Morocho, attempts to interfere in the Gürtel investigation were not limited to the Kitchen case and extended to a broader range of episodes related to corruption in the People’s Party.
Attempted bribery and the lawyer’s role
After Morocho’s interrogation, the court heard from lawyer Javier Iglesias, associated with the People’s Party. According to case materials, it was Iglesias who in 2013 offered former party treasurer Luis Bárcenas a large sum in exchange for altering information in the so-called ‘Bárcenas papers’—in order to cast doubt on their authenticity and confuse public opinion. Iglesias himself previously refused to testify, citing attorney-client privilege, but the court summoned him again for clarification.
Context and significance of the case
The Kitchen case has become one of the most high-profile trials in recent years, as it concerns not only issues of corruption but also possible abuse of power within the police. As RUSSPAIN notes, Spain has seen several instances where internal investigations faced attempts at pressure or sabotage from senior officials. In similar cases, for example, the Catalonia archives recorded a massive influx of requests for documents to apply for citizenship, which also raised suspicions of possible manipulation—read more about this in the article on the overload of Catalonia’s church archives.
Hearings on the Kitchen case will continue next week. New witness testimonies and further details about the mechanisms of pressure on the investigation and the court are expected.
