Guardia Civil Scandal in Spain: Secret Investigations Targeting Mercedes González and the UCO

As allegations of political 'sewer' operations (cloacas) in Spain deepen, the top management of the Guardia Civil is subject to serious legal scrutiny. Director Mercedes González and operational deputy director Manuel Llamas are accused of initiating three secret investigations after meeting with Leire Díez, who works for the socialist party (PSOE) and is known as the 'plumber' (fontanera) within the party. According to claims, these high-ranking officials may have obstructed justice by opening administrative investigations against the Central Operative Unit (UCO), which handles sensitive investigations targeting socialists and files concerning the government and high-level state officials. National Court (Audiencia Nacional) judge Santiago Pedraz, confirming these allegations, included González and Llamas in the investigation as 'suspects' to have their statements taken at the hearing in February.

One of the most striking details in the investigation is Director González’s request for sensitive information about the UCO’s secret structure immediately after her meetings with Leire Díez. Díez, a former PSOE militant, was operating as a structure working to unmask opponents within police units for the party's benefit. The latest investigation launched by González’s order specifically requested an 'organizational chart' containing the names and duty stations of personnel directly linked to judicial processes conducted against the government. The Prosecution asserts that this request was part of a plumbing operation aimed at collecting dirt on UCO commanders.

According to court records, three face-to-face meetings and one phone call took place between Mercedes González and Leire Díez between November 2024 and April 2025. Immediately following these meetings, three separate 'reserved information' (información reservada) processes were initiated to launch internal investigations over claims of information leakage from within the UCO. For instance, the first investigation was launched right after media reports regarding email allegations concerning the Prime Minister’s brother; however, the top management decided to investigate despite knowing it was an accidental leak. Similarly, the second investigation opened after messages between former minister Ábalos and the Prime Minister surfaced was not cancelled or stopped, even though it was understood the filtration did not come from police sources.

The prosecutor (fiscal) reports reveal that Leire Díez reached out to González and Llamas immediately after the news appeared in the media. However, it is claimed that investigations were used as a tool of political revenge, even when there was no evidence of leakage from a police unit or when evidence pointed to the contrary. Furthermore, during the second investigation, González is accused of deleting WhatsApp messages containing her conversation with Díez. These actions bring charges of indirectly interfering with the administration of justice and undermining the credibility of the judiciary.

The prosecution and court concur that the actions of these two top figures at the Guardia Civil fall under the categories of 'prevarication' (administrative malfeasance) and 'Crimes Against the Administration of Justice'. It is alleged that Llamas and González became active parts of the sewer plot by remaining silent while the UCO was wrongly targeted or by personally initiating fake investigations. If found guilty, they will face serious charges such as abuse of administrative functions and manipulation of judicial processes. This case holds critical importance in Spain regarding judicial independence and the struggle for political influence within the police forces.