At 9:00 p.m. yesterday, the Civil Guard (Guardia Civil) left the PSOE headquarters after a raid lasting more than 12 hours. The judge who ordered the operation is investigating whether the Socialist Party paid over €188,000 to a network tasked with digging up “dirt” on the police officers, judges, and prosecutors investigating cases against the Prime Minister’s family members. (Coincidentally, the trial against his brother and other defendants for malfeasance and influence peddling begins today).
According to the judge, the network was allegedly launched following the investigation into the Prime Minister’s wife, Begoña Gómez—who is also indicted for influence peddling, misappropriation of funds, among other charges. The operation was reportedly spearheaded by the PSOE’s number three official, Santos Cerdán, who is currently out on bail under provisional release in a separate case, facing charges of influence peddling and criminal organization.
In the network outlined by the judge, a “select” group of individuals—ranging from the party’s current general manager to Gaspar Zarrías, a long-standing figure associated with the PSOE’s cloacas (deep-state operations)—was allegedly responsible for paying the executioners of the plot. Among them is a party militant now well-known across Spain, Leire Díaz.
Leire Díaz appears in several videos claiming to be the person commissioned by the PSOE to uncover what lies behind the indictments against Sánchez’s inner circle. In these videos, she is seen offering deals to individuals facing legal prosecution in exchange for any dirt that could discredit the civil guards, judges, or prosecutors involved in those investigations.
Media Reaction and Political Fallout
Just days earlier, the details of the ongoing case against former Socialist Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero—who has reinvented himself as the godfather of “Sanchismo”—had come to light. Consequently, the sheer bewilderment within Spanish society regarding the political quagmire the PSOE of Pedro Sánchez has become is indescribable.
A clear testament to this is found in the headlines filling today’s newspapers, including pro-government outlets. For instance, El País notes:
“22 meetings at Ferraz, payments to Leire Díaz, and bribery attempts: Cerdán drags the PSOE into a new corruption case.”
Another pro-Sánchez outlet, eldiario.es, points out that:
“The judge holds the PSOE directly responsible for Leire Díez’s manoeuvres against those investigating its leaders.”
Meanwhile, critical newspapers point the finger directly at Pedro Sánchez’s responsibility. For example, El Confidencial asserts that:
“The judge’s ruling indicates that Pedro Sánchez, referred to as ‘the One’, was fully aware of the deep-state manoeuvres.”
