10 minutes and without speaking about his hiring: this has been the statement of Pedro Sánchez's brother

MadridDavid Sánchez's expected statement at the trial for his hiring at the Badajoz Provincial Council lasted 10 minutes and 20 seconds. He was only questioned by his lawyer, Emilio Cortés, who asked him 25 questions about his office, the change in the name of his job, and the hiring of a friend who helped him, but without mentioning how he got his job in 2017. He also did not allude to Pedro Sánchez at any time. The lawyer began the interrogation by asking about the office David Sánchez used, a question that comes after a cut video circulated during the investigation that made it seem like he didn't know where he worked. And he wanted to get ahead of the rumors. What was the Performing Arts Office he directed? "It was not understood as a physical office with a counter or a physical building," he said. That is, it was not a building, but an administrative category.

He started as a coordinator of conservatory activities and, subsequently, his position's name changed, which the prosecution finds suspicious. However, David Sánchez has completely distanced himself from it. He said he found out "when it had already been done," he stressed that he continued to earn the same salary and justified the reasons: "It happened due to the natural evolution of the activities." And his lawyer reinforced the explanation: "There was an increase in the volume of subsidies and a certain geographical expansion of what had to do with the initial mandate.

Emilio Cortés pointed out that the popular accusations – made up of actors who are regulars in the judicial siege of the PSOE, such as Manos Limpias, Hazte Oír, the PP, Vox, Iustitia Europa, and Liberum – believe that the name change was a "kind of disguise" to adapt the job to his "personal preferences" as if it were a "whim" of his. And he also denied it: "All activities were framed within the institutional activity of the Provincial Council. They were publicized with the logos, there were files and controls. It cannot be a private activity of mine."

The other leg of the accusation is the hiring of Luis Carrero, a friend of his who previously worked at Moncloa and who also sits on the defendant's bench. Previously, he helped him to "better draft" ideas in an "uninterested" way because he was a "person very interested in cultural projects". David Sánchez has denied influencing anyone to hire him, has said he did not speak to anyone, and has assured that he had no privileged information about the procedure. His lawyer alluded to an email from October 2023 between the two that suggests the position was awarded 23 days in advance, and he wanted to provide context: "He tells me that the position was already there. I mistook that the position was awarded for the publication of the position. Luis corrects me and tells me that he has no news or calendar", he stated. And he made it clear that he had no influence: "I have neither the capacity to say anything nor administrative information about the status of the procedure".

Regarding Carrero's duties, he acknowledged that he was a "very capable" person, but pointed out that the job he was supposed to do required technical training that he has and Carrero does not: "He is a very talented person, but he cannot do my job". Carrero later corroborated this: “I could occasionally collaborate with him, but in no way did I do his job because I am incapable of doing it”. Carrero admitted that he had a friendship with David Sánchez since 2008 and that he informed him that the Culture area would be strengthened: “He told me that a position would be available and that I should keep an eye on it if I was interested”, he explained, although he had doubts about changing jobs.

Miguel Ángel Gallardo says he did not know Sánchez had a brother

Miguel Ángel Gallardo, president of the Diputación and leader of the PSOE in Extremadura at the time of the events, pointed out that Sánchez was neither president of the Spanish government nor secretary-general of the PSOE and denied having made any request for his brother: "I did not have a fluid relationship with him and not even at that time was I aware that he had brothers". He also denied that the position was not intended for David Sánchez: "How will I think of a specific person if what is being created is a need?", he replied. And he also denied having made a "tailor-made suit" or exerted influence for Sánchez's brother to end up being hired. "I did not say or suggest who should be appointed for that position, I thought 'May the best man win'," he made clear. Regarding the modification of David Sánchez's job, he assured that he did not intervene: "I had no participation, it was a technical matter".

The former director of the Culture area of the Diputación de Badajoz, Elisa Moriano, said that she never met with anyone to create David Sánchez's job. "My profile was purely technical," she added. "I did not modify the requirements for this job and the applicants received equal treatment and the most suitable candidate was finally chosen," she added. The former deputy delegate for Culture of Badajoz, Cristina Núñez, said that it was not "the only position that was created" in her department that legislature and that she also did not know who David Sánchez was when he applied. "The position was processed quickly because we wanted it to be operational before the next academic year," she pointed out. Regarding whether David Sánchez was carrying out his activities, she said yes, giving examples of different activities. "No one told me that he wasn't working," she concluded.

Juana Cintas, former director of Human Resources of the Diputación de Badajoz, said that she did not know the functions that Sánchez performed because it was not her function. "No one informed me of what he did or did not do," she summarized. In any case, she made it clear that she had no knowledge "of any non-compliance or complaint" regarding Sánchez's brother from any employee or superior. Manuel Candalija, general director of Culture, defended Sánchez's selection because the other candidates did not demonstrate more merits than him to obtain the position.