Judge Antonio Piña’s decision to once again exclude María Dolores de Cospedal and her former partner Ignacio López del Hierro from the investigation came as an unexpected turn for many Spaniards following the Villarejo case. The question of the possible involvement of the former Secretary General of the Partido Popular (PP) in attempts to shield the party from the consequences of the Gürtel corruption scandal has again taken center stage. For Spanish society, this is not just another court episode — it is a matter of trust in institutions and transparency in political processes.
The scandal surrounding the Villarejo case and related investigations has been making headlines for several years. This time, the initiative came from members of the Socialist Party (PSOE), who demanded that Cospedal and López del Hierro be questioned again. According to them, there are new audio recordings allegedly confirming the involvement of former PP leaders in attempts to conceal compromising information. However, Judge Piña, who succeeded Manuel García-Castellón in this role, found no grounds to grant the request.
Arguments of the parties
The Socialists insisted that the investigation had sufficient evidence to reopen the case against Cospedal and her former partner. They placed particular emphasis on audio recordings made by former commissioner José Manuel Villarejo, which, according to them, directly indicate the involvement of politicians in organizing schemes to conceal evidence. Representatives of the PSOE claimed that the case materials were deliberately left unchecked for a long time, and key evidence was ignored.
Judge Piña, however, rejected these arguments, emphasizing that neither the new nor previously submitted materials provide sufficient grounds to hold Cospedal accountable again. The anti-corruption prosecutor’s office joined his position, also seeing no need for new interrogations. As a result, the court once again denied the Socialists’ demands, sparking a wave of criticism from the opposition.
Case background
The name María Dolores de Cospedal has repeatedly surfaced in high-profile investigations related to the activities of the Partido Popular. In 2021, she and López del Hierro were already implicated in the so-called ‘Operation Kitchen’—an alleged scheme aimed at seizing documents from former PP treasurer Luis Bárcenas that could damage the party. However, after the investigation concluded, Judge García-Castellón removed them from the list of defendants, and in 2022 the criminal chamber upheld this decision.
Despite this, attempts to reinstate Cospedal as a suspect continued. The Socialists argued that the investigation was being conducted with violations and that certain case materials were allegedly kept hidden from the public. They also accused the court of hindering the proper exercise of prosecutorial rights and deliberately limiting the scope of the investigation, which, in their view, fosters impunity for those responsible.
Reaction and consequences
Judge Piña’s latest ruling reignited debate over the transparency and independence of Spain’s judicial system. Representatives of PSOE stated that their rights as prosecutors had been violated, and the investigation into the Kitchen case and other episodes involving Villarejo had effectively come to a standstill. Their statements included accusations against the court of bias and an unwillingness to consider all available evidence.
At the same time, supporters of the Partido Popular saw the court’s decision as confirmation that there were no grounds for new charges against Cospedal and López del Hierro. They insist that all necessary investigative actions have already been taken, and that efforts to reopen the matter are politically motivated. Public debate continues over the objectivity of the investigation and whether judicial processes are being used as a tool in political battles.
Looking ahead
The Villarejo case and related investigations remain among the most discussed topics in Spanish politics. Judge Piña’s decision not only determines the further course of this particular case but also affects public perception of the judicial system as a whole. For many Spaniards, the question of whether the full truth will be established and all parties held accountable remains unresolved. In the coming months, new statements, appeals, and possibly unexpected developments can be expected to once again draw attention to this story.
