Ignacio Cosidó Denies Involvement in Dirty War Against Podemos

Ignacio Cosidó, a prominent member of the People's Party (PP) and former Director General of the National Police, distanced himself from the controversial operational decisions made during the investigation by the National Court regarding the alleged smear campaign against Podemos, a left-wing political party, during Mariano Rajoy's government. His testimony came forth on Thursday as part of the ongoing legal proceedings initiated by Podemos.

During his statement, Cosidó claimed he was unaware of the dossier concerning the supposed illegal financing of Podemos until it was revealed through media outlets. This assertion marks a significant moment in the investigation, highlighting the procedural complexities surrounding the allegations of improper conduct within the Ministry of Interior during Rajoy's tenure.

Despite holding the position of the national police chief at the time, Cosidó has thus far evaded legal scrutiny concerning the questionable practices that occurred within the Ministry. He attributed the operational decisions of the police force to Eugenio Pino, who served as the Deputy Operational Director, and Francisco Martínez, the Secretary of State for Security during that period, both of whom currently face criminal charges related to this case.

Evidence presented during the investigation included conversations retrieved from Martínez's phone, revealing a police official suggesting that Cosidó had leaked a document connected to Pablo Iglesias, a key figure in Podemos, to the newspaper ABC. Cosidó refuted any responsibility for this alleged disclosure, maintaining his innocence throughout the inquiry.

Additionally, Cosidó stated he was not informed about the activities of the political brigade assigned to gather information against Podemos and could not recall signing any authorizations related to these operations. He once again placed the responsibility for these procedural matters on the specialized units within the police.

In February 2024, Judge Santiago Pedraz opened a path for judicial examination of one facet of the alleged dirty war waged against Podemos, which included police maneuvers aimed at undermining the party's influence. The judge accepted a complaint from Podemos targeting former Secretary of State Francisco Martínez, former Deputy Operational Director Eugenio Pino, and other senior police officials for their supposed unauthorized and unregulated investigations into the political group. While Podemos sought the inclusion of Cosidó and former Interior Minister Jorge Fernández Díaz in the investigation, the judge denied this request.

The complaint filed by Podemos includes charges of organized crime, misappropriation, disclosure of secrets, administrative malpractice, and document forgery. It also cites misappropriation and offenses against state institutions, although the judge dismissed the latter, concluding that the alleged actions did not fit the criteria for those specific charges.

The ongoing investigation by the National Court is gradually illuminating the intricacies of the alleged dirty war against Podemos, which has been characterized by a series of denials and lapses in memory from those implicated. However, there have been unexpected testimonies from police officers confirming that there was indeed a directive during Rajoy's administration aimed at weakening the political party, with the intention of preventing a leftist party from gaining power for the first time since the restoration of democracy in Spain.