The Spanish government appoints a new director of the UCO

MadridThe Interior Ministry, through the Director General of the Civil Guard, has appointed Colonel Pedro Merino Castro as the new head of the Central Operational Unit (UCO) of the Civil Guard, replacing Colonel Rafael Yuste, according to reports. Eldiario.es And ARA has been able to confirm this through ministry sources. In fact, Yuste was promoted to brigadier general on December 1st, and at the time, sources from the Ministry of the Interior justified the promotion as part of "normal internal promotion procedures." However, this change comes at a time marked by various open corruption investigations targeting Pedro Sánchez.

Until now, Merino Castro was head of the Salamanca Command, although he had previously served in the UCO (Central Operative Unit) and also in the technical unit of the Civil Guard's Judicial Police. He is also an advisor in the Spanish government's National Security department.

The UCO is the specialized unit that, among other things, is participating in the investigation of the legal cases targeting Pedro Sánchez's inner circle, both those affecting the Spanish government and the PSOE (Spanish Socialist Workers' Party). For example,prepared the reportwhich led to the indictment of Santos Cerdán oraccreditedthat the Attorney General deleted the messages from his mobile phone on the day the Supreme Court indicted him. More recently, he has been at the center of a new report that again implicates former Transport Minister José Luis Ábalos, who has been in prison since November 27, as well as a series of searches and arrests within the framework of a secret case led by the National Court, which is targeting alleged irregularities. Among those arrested in this latter case is former Socialist Party member Leire Díez, known as plumber of the PSOE.

In fact, one of thekey figures of the UCOThe figure who has dominated media attention in recent months remains in the same position despite this reshuffling of positions. It is Lieutenant Colonel Antonio Balas, a subordinate of Rafael Yuste, who will continue to lead the Economic Crimes and Anti-Corruption Department. Balas is actually the one directing much of the activity related to the Spanish president's inner circle.

His name came to the forefront because it appeared in one of Leire Díez's audio recordings, as part of the case opened in Madrid's Court Number 19, which is investigating the alleged underhanded maneuvers he carried out to try to dismantle the legal cases against Pedro Sánchez's associates. In a meeting between Díez and prosecutor Ignacio Stampa, the former socialist activist was heard asking for compromising information about Antonio Balas. This led to her beinginvestigated by a court in Madrid, along with businessman Javier Pérez Dolset and journalist Pere Rusiñol.