The National Court in Spain is currently examining a series of meetings held between former high-ranking officials of the State Attorney General's Office and Leire Díez, a former Socialist Party (PSOE) member. Judge Santiago Pedraz, who is overseeing the investigation, recently heard testimony from Diego Villafañe, the former right-hand man to ex-Attorney General Álvaro García Ortiz, and prosecutor Beatriz López Pesquera. These proceedings are part of a broader inquiry into an alleged network, often referred to in media reports as the 'Leire case,' which is suspected of attempting to influence or obstruct judicial investigations involving the government and the Socialist Party.
During the hearings, both Villafañe and López Pesquera confirmed they held two meetings with Díez and lawyer Jacobo Teijelo at the headquarters of the State Attorney General's Office in March and April 2025. Villafañe testified that he informed Álvaro García Ortiz about these encounters after they occurred. According to his account, García Ortiz requested a briefing on the meetings in his office, after which he reportedly told the prosecutors to "forget about it" and "not to worry." The prosecutors described the meetings as "insignificant" and claimed they focused on general information regarding fraud investigations in the hydrocarbon sector.
Separately, Cristina Narbona, the president of the PSOE, also testified before Judge Pedraz. She denied any knowledge of a coordinated plot to interfere with the justice system. While acknowledging that she had exchanged messages with Díez in April 2024, Narbona stated that she referred the individual to the party's organization secretary, Santos Cerdán, after Díez claimed to have information that could be important. Narbona characterized the contact as a known acquaintance rather than a close associate and emphasized that she had no executive role in the alleged activities.
The investigation continues to scrutinize the nature of these contacts and whether they crossed the line into improper influence. As the court processes this testimony, the focus remains on determining the extent of the involvement of high-level officials and the potential impact on ongoing judicial proceedings. The court has not ruled out future summons for other individuals, including the former Attorney General, depending on the findings from these latest testimonies.