The Kitchen case trial begins: Villarejo arrives at the National Court with "enthusiasm"

San Fernando de HenaresThe National High Court kicks off the trial of the Kitchen case. It is the operation orchestrated by the state's "sewers" to steal from Luis Bárcenas, the former treasurer of the PP, information or data that could compromise leaders of the Popular Party within the framework of the Gürtel case. Sitting on the defendant's bench are, among others, Jorge Fernández Díaz (who was Minister of the Interior from 2011 to 2016), Francisco Martínez (who was Secretary of State for the Interior), Eugenio Pino (who was deputy operational director of the Spanish police) and retired commissioner José Manuel Villarejo. "I face the trial with great enthusiasm, I trust that the truth will prevail," Villarejo acknowledged upon arriving at the headquarters of the National High Court in San Fernando de Henares. And he said he has "no fear" of going to prison: "If they put me in again, it will be to not get out. Since they've seen that I don't shut up, it's normal that this time the plan works out for them," he added.

The one at the epicenter of the operation is Sergio Ríos, who was the chauffeur of the Bárcenas family and is the one who, in exchange for money from the reserve funds, betrayed them to supply information to the patriotic police. The Prosecutor's Office is seeking fifteen years in prison for Fernández Díaz and nineteen for Villarejo. The main crimes they are accused of are cover-up, embezzlement, bribery, revelation of secrets, and influence peddling.

During the trial, which will last three months, some of the main names from the last stage of the PP in La Moncloa will have to testify. Summoned are Mariano Rajoy –former president of the Spanish government–, Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría –former Spanish vice president–, María Dolores de Cospedal –former Secretary General of the PP–, Juan Ignacio Zoido –former Minister of the Interior–, Ignacio Cosidó –former Director General of the National Police–, Félix Sanz Roldán –former director of the CNI–, and Manuel Sánchez Corbí –former head of the Central Operative Unit (UCO) of the Civil Guard–.

The PSOE targets the PP and Cospedal

During the preliminary proceedings, the PSOE –which is a party to the proceedings as a popular prosecution– has made two requests. On the one hand, it has asked for María Dolores de Cospedal to be investigated after new audios of conversations between the then Secretary General of the PP and José Manuel Villarejo have appeared after the investigation was concluded. On the other hand, the socialists also want the PP to be a beneficiary in a lucrative capacity because "it benefited from the criminal activity." Half an hour after the trial began, PSOE sources pointed the finger in a message sent to journalists. From Ferraz, they christened the Kitchen as the "biggest shame of Spanish democracy" and accused the current leader of the PP, Alberto Núñez Feijó, of "complicity" in the case.