The National Court has ruled that Antonio Balas, recently promoted to lieutenant colonel, will remain in his current post at the Guardia Civil’s Unidad Central Operativa (UCO) and continue leading the high-profile 'caso Koldo' investigation. Anticorrupción prosecutor Luis Pastor initiated the decision, which Judge Ismael Moreno endorsed and formally communicated to UCO chief Pedro Merino Castro. Balas heads the UCO’s Grupo de Delitos Económicos, whose investigators handle complex financial-crime cases. The ruling keeps the Koldo probe on its current course despite his promotion, at a critical moment for several politically sensitive judicial inquiries.
In its official request, Anticorrupción said Balas’s role as one of the basic investigators in case DP 65/23, along with his impressive contribution to the proceedings, made his continued presence impressive. The document cited Article 16 of Royal Decree 769/1987, the structure governing judicial-police officers’ participation in investigations. It asked the UCO command to take the necessary steps to keep Balas assigned until the investigation concludes, subject to the authority of the competent judge or prosecutor. El Norte de Castilla reported that Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska accepted Balas’s continued leadership of sensitive UCO investigations after his promotion.
Judge Moreno has formally relayed the directive to the UCO, in line with Anticorrupción’s position. The immediate measure concerns the 'caso Koldo', while reporting describes Balas’s role as extending to other sensitive investigations. These include the inquiry known as the 'caso Cloacas del PSOE' or 'caso Fontanera', which examines alleged efforts to obtain information and undermine investigations affecting the PSOE and the government. El Mundo reported that Judge Santiago Pedraz ordered the PSOE to provide, within 48 hours, a list and supporting documentation for lawyers and consultancy firms hired between 2021 and 2025. The inquiry has also examined alleged payments to Leire Díez and whether legal services and invoices were used to fund suspected operations.
The wider controversy includes allegations of efforts to target investigators. El Correo reported that the Guardia Civil was examining whether a group had sought information about judges and prosecutors, as well as UCO agents. The group was also alleged to have tried to discredit investigators or witnesses and disrupt politically sensitive proceedings. These allegations form part of the broader context surrounding the Koldo investigation and the continuity of its investigative team. They do not establish that any particular individual directed or carried out pressure against investigators.
Balas has also held a leadership role in the investigation concerning David Sánchez Pérez-Castejón, the Prime Minister’s brother. Hoy reported that Judge Beatriz Biedma told the Audiencia Nacional investigators had said they were facing pressure. Balas first met her on 2 July 2024, shortly after proceedings opened following a complaint by Manos Limpias. Investigators examined email accounts connected to the creation of a coordinator post for musical activities, to which David Sánchez was appointed. The inquiry adds to the list of high-profile cases in which Balas has been associated with investigative work.
Scrutiny of political-corruption cases in Spain is intensifying. The 'caso Koldo' is one of several ongoing investigations with potential implications for the government and the PSOE. Keeping an experienced investigator in place is intended to preserve continuity in complex proceedings. For further context on the broader network of related scandals, including the SEPI and Leire Díez cases, see this report on how María Jesús Montero has responded to the expanding probe: PSOE official distances herself from SEPI scandal.
Spain’s judicial-police units, including the UCO, conduct investigations under the direction of judicial authorities. In cases involving alleged corruption, their work can include tracing financial transactions and examining records to gather evidence for court proceedings. The legal structure invoked by the prosecution and the judge provides for officers to remain on designated cases unless a competent judge or prosecutor decides otherwise. Any mandatory transfer or removal must be reported to the judicial authority for review.
