The alleged efforts of Leire Díez to influence the Civil Guard return to the judicial spotlight: Commander Rubén Villalba's statement before Pedraz

The case investigating the activities of Leire Díez enters a new phase this Tuesday with the statement before the Audiencia Nacional of Civil Guard commander Rubén Villalba. The commander, who is listed as investigated in the Koldo case, will appear as a witness before judge Santiago Pedraz on a day marked by new proceedings.

According to the account Villalba gave to investigators at the end of May, he held several meetings with Díez during the spring of 2025 in which the former socialist militant allegedly boasted of having high-level contacts within the Executive. In those conversations, she claimed to have enough influence to intervene in relevant decisions related to the command structure of the Civil Guard.

The commander also stated that he received proposals to improve his professional situation and regain institutional prestige. Among them, the possibility of joining as an advisor to the Director General of the Civil Guard, Mercedes González, an offer that, according to his version, was linked to obtaining sensitive information about the Central Operative Unit (UCO).

This Tuesday's judicial agenda also includes the statements of Patricia Isabel Espinar, co-founder of the media outlet Crónica Libre, on issues related to PSOE contracts, and of Francisco Ortega, a former bodyguard and former Correos employee who accompanied Díez in some of her meetings with Villalba. Ortega was performing duties at the Spanish Embassy in Venezuela when the commander was indicted in the Koldo case.

Nullity of the case rejected

The judge of the Audiencia Nacional Santiago Pedraz has dismissed the request presented by Leire Díez with which she sought to invalidate part of the judicial proceedings in the case in which she is being investigated for alleged actions aimed at interfering in investigations with political repercussions for the PSOE and the Executive.

The former socialist militant demanded that the police operation carried out on December 10 be declared invalid, as well as the material seized during that operation, including mobile phones, electronic devices, and various documentation. In addition, she requested that the investigations subsequently developed from those evidences be annulled.

His legal representation argued that the agents' actions lacked sufficient justification and maintained that there were no circumstances that made an arrest necessary, while alleging possible violations of rights during the procedure.

However, the magistrate has refused to examine the content of these allegations, understanding that the petition was filed after the established legal deadlines had expired. In his resolution, he also considers that this type of appeal cannot be used to re-debate issues that have already been addressed and resolved during the investigation phase.