Venezuelan Ex-Official's Citizenship: UCO Requests Documents from Spanish Justice Ministry. UCO officers have requested materials from Spain’s Ministry of Justice regarding the citizenship of Nervis Villalobos. His earlier applications were denied, but he was granted status on different grounds. Authorities emphasize the legality of the procedure.
A new incident has erupted in Madrid over the process of obtaining Spanish citizenship by a former Venezuelan official. On Tuesday morning, officers from the Central Operational Unit (UCO) of the Civil Guard arrived at the Ministry of Justice to access materials on the case of Nervis Villalobos — the former Venezuelan Deputy Minister of Energy, who has been living in Spain for more than ten years. According to government sources, the request specifically concerned his citizenship application file.
The visit was prompted by an order from National Court judge Santiago Pedraz, who the day before had issued a ruling authorizing a series of procedural actions. The judge allowed UCO to personally approach the Ministry of Justice, headed by Félix Bolaños, to review documents relating to Villalobos's citizenship procedure. This decision is linked to materials previously seized from former PSOE activist Leire Díez.
The Ministry of Justice responded promptly to the arrival of law enforcement, emphasizing that both of Villalobos’s applications for citizenship by residency—in 2017 and in 2024—were rejected due to non-compliance with requirements. The first denial was issued in 2020, and the second in October 2025. However, Villalobos later obtained citizenship on different grounds—under the Democratic Memory Law, after appealing the decision in the Civil Registry.
The department led by Félix Bolaños clarified that the review of such cases follows a standard procedure and involves verification by several staff members. According to official data, in 2025, out of 189 appeals under the Democratic Memory Law, 164 were approved. The ministry separately emphasized that citizenship cases are handled exclusively by the Directorate-General for Legal Security and Public Faith, without the involvement of other divisions.
Questions about the transparency and legality of granting citizenship to foreign nationals in Spain regularly attract public attention. Authorities in Madrid have previously had to intensify investigations in other high-profile cases, for example, after the vandalism incident at the Cuélgamuros construction site, when police were also actively searching for those responsible and gathering evidence (details on the Cuélgamuros investigation).
For reference: Nervis Villalobos served as Venezuela's Deputy Minister of Energy under the Hugo Chávez government. The Democratic Memory Law, referenced by the justice ministry, allows certain categories of foreigners to obtain Spanish citizenship on historical grounds. The procedure requires a separate review and generally takes several months. In recent years, the number of such applications has increased significantly, attracting additional attention from law enforcement and the courts.
