National Court Orders Investigation into Cospedal and Villarejo Audios in Kitchen Case

The Spanish National Court (Audiencia Nacional) has formally authorized an investigation into audio recordings featuring former Partido Popular (PP) Secretary-General María Dolores de Cospedal and José Manuel Villarejo. The judicial move comes during the final stages of the “Kitchen” case, an operation to attempt to steal information from Luis Bárcenas that could compromise the PP.

Judge Antonio Piña, the instructor of the case, issued the decision to incorporate the recordings into the ongoing judicial proceedings. The move marks a significant shift, as Cospedal—who also served as Minister of Defense—had previously been one of the protected names in the case.

Judicial Scrutiny of the Kitchen Operation

The “Kitchen” investigation centers on allegations regarding an operation to retrieve documents held by Luis Bárcenas that could potentially implicate the PP. The case involves multiple former senior officials.

The newly admitted audio files capture conversations between Cospedal and Villarejo regarding the operation. The recordings also involve former president Mariano Rajoy, further broadening the potential reach of the judicial inquiry.

Impact on the Ongoing Trial

With the trial nearing its conclusion, the decision to admit these audio files introduces a new layer of complexity to the final arguments.

Next Steps in the Judicial Process

Further updates are expected as the court moves toward the final deliberation stage.