Salomé Pradas, the former Valencian councillor for Justice and Interior under investigation in the dana case, has appointed Pedro Colina, a prominent criminal lawyer, to lead her defence. Colina replaces Eduardo de Urbano, who is stepping aside for personal reasons. Sources close to Pradas do not rule out his possible return to the case in the future.
Colina is known in legal circles for representing Francisco Martínez, the former Secretary of State for Security under Mariano Rajoy, in the high-profile ‘Kitchen’ case, which has reached the sentencing stage. Both Colina and de Urbano are members of the Kepler-Karst law firm, preserving continuity in Pradas’s legal strategy despite the change in lead counsel.
Criminal lawyers Sandra Imedio and Paloma Crespo will remain on Pradas’s legal team. The former councillor’s circle says de Urbano is stepping back for personal reasons, not because of a disagreement over the defence’s direction.
Kepler-Karst says Colina has more than three decades of experience in economic criminal law and has handled some of Spain’s most complex, high-profile criminal proceedings. His appointment comes as the dana case advances through the courts.
The reshuffle comes as scrutiny continues in Spain over public officials and their handling of crises. The dana case concerns the management of emergency responses and has drawn attention to the responsibilities and decisions of regional authorities. Recent controversies over crisis management in Valencia have also made headlines, including debate over the Devesa de El Saler wildfire and the city’s response, as reported in coverage of the mayor’s defence of municipal actions.
The ‘Kitchen’ case involved allegations of illegal surveillance and political intrigue at the national level. The ongoing dana investigation continues to pose legal and political challenges for former officials in Spain’s regions, with outcomes that could shape future standards for public accountability and crisis management.
