The judge Pedraz closes the door to the colonel who investigated 1-O as an accusation in the "Leire case" due to lack of evidence

Judge Santiago Pedraz has rejected Colonel Daniel Baena of the Civil Guard from appearing as a private prosecutor in the "Leire case". The magistrate considers that his appearance in one of the notebooks seized from Leire Díez is insufficient to sustain that the former socialist militant maneuvered against him.

Baena led some of the main police investigations into the Catalan independence process. Among them is the Voloh case, focused on the international connections of the procés. He also participated in the proceedings that ended up bringing to trial the members of the Government responsible for the referendum of October 1, 2017.

The colonel argued that his name appeared "among the identified targets" in Leire Díez's notes and linked that mention to the investigations he led during those years. His brief requested that the Audiencia Nacional recognize him as a victim and allow him to exercise private prosecution.

Pedraz has followed the criterion of the Prosecutor's Office and concludes that the brief lacks concrete data capable of demonstrating that condition. According to the ruling, "there is no direct link" between the investigations led by Baena and the subsequent events that affected his professional situation.

The judge also has no record, "to date," of meetings between Leire Díez and lawyer Gonzalo Boye in the Junts environment that were intended to obtain information about procedures in which the colonel had intervened. The resolution thus leaves his name out of the group of recognized victims in this phase of the investigation, although Baena can still appeal the decision.

The case returns to the Audiencia Nacional in September

The investigation seeks to clarify the existence of an alleged plot aimed at interfering in judicial procedures affecting the PSOE, the Government, and Pedro Sánchez's circle. The Central Operative Unit (UCO) places the former socialist Organization Secretary Santos Cerdán at the head of the operation and attributes its executive coordination to Leire Díez.

The judicial calendar will resume on September 9 with the statements as investigated of the federal manager of the PSOE, Ana María Fuentes, and of Ismael Oliver, former lawyer of Koldo García. Pedraz wants to clarify the system of payments and invoices that would have served to finance Leire Díez's trips and activities.

One day later, Leonardo Marcos, former director general of the Civil Guard, will appear as a suspect. Pedraz will question him about alleged pressures for the UCO to reduce its actions in cases with political impact, including the investigation into David Sánchez. The chief prosecutor of Badajoz, José Luis Alonso Tejuca, will testify that same morning as a witness.