Spain’s National Court has instructed police to search Villarejo’s seized files for conversations with María Dolores de Cospedal. The move follows renewed pressure to revisit her alleged ties to the Kitchen case.
Spain’s National Court has intensified scrutiny of the so-called Villarejo case, as Judge Antonio Piña has directed the National Police’s Internal Affairs Unit to comb through materials seized from retired commissioner José Manuel Villarejo. The judge’s order specifically targets any conversations, emails, or bank transfers involving María Dolores de Cospedal, former secretary general of the Partido Popular (PP), and her former partner, businessman Ignacio López del Hierro, that could indicate criminal activity.
This latest move comes after repeated requests from the PSOE, which acts as a popular prosecutor in several strands of the Villarejo investigation. The party has long sought to have Cospedal re-imputed over her alleged connections to Villarejo, but previous attempts have been rejected by the National Court. Cospedal was initially charged in the Kitchen case, which centers on the alleged illegal surveillance of former PP treasurer Luis Bárcenas, but the case against her was closed by Judge Manuel García-Castellón, Piña’s predecessor.
Judge Piña’s new resolution, signed on Thursday and reported by EL PAÍS, grants the PSOE’s request to require an audio recording aired by Catalan radio station RAC1. In this recording, Villarejo and Cospedal discuss sensitive documents allegedly linked to Bárcenas. The conversation includes references to the discovery and alleged removal of compromising material, with Cospedal reportedly stating that “everything Bárcenas had” was “cleaned.” The judge has now authorized the inclusion of this audio in the case file and tasked Internal Affairs with investigating whether similar evidence exists among Villarejo’s confiscated materials.
The Anticorruption Prosecutor’s Office opposed the PSOE’s request, but the court’s decision opens a new avenue for potential legal action. Despite this, Judge Piña has not reversed his earlier refusal to summon Cospedal and López del Hierro as defendants. The focus remains on identifying any new evidence that could justify reopening proceedings against the former PP official.
This development comes as the Kitchen case trial nears its conclusion. The case has drawn significant attention due to allegations that senior PP figures orchestrated a covert operation to seize sensitive documents from Bárcenas, aiming to protect party leadership. The National Court has so far declined to reopen the investigation into Cospedal’s role, but the emergence of new material could change that stance.
Legal disputes over evidence and the handling of high-profile police cases have become increasingly common in Spain’s courts. For example, a recent case involving a former police official seeking dismissal of sexual assault charges also highlighted the complexities of evidence review and judicial decision-making, as detailed in this related report.
Contextually, the Villarejo case has had a profound impact on Spanish politics and law enforcement. José Manuel Villarejo, a former police commissioner, became notorious for amassing a vast archive of recordings and documents implicating politicians, business leaders, and officials. The Kitchen case, one of the most prominent offshoots, has exposed alleged abuses of power and the use of state resources for political ends. While the court’s latest order does not guarantee new charges, it signals ongoing judicial interest in unresolved questions surrounding Cospedal’s involvement and the broader implications for accountability within Spain’s political system.
