Former Spanish Interior Minister Jorge Fernández Díaz Denies Involvement in Operation Kitchen

Former Spanish Interior Minister Jorge Fernández Díaz testified in court, denying any knowledge of the Operation Kitchen espionage scandal until it was reported by the media in 2015.

Key points

• Jorge Fernández Díaz claimed he was unaware of the alleged plan to spy on former People's Party (PP) treasurer Luis Bárcenas during his tenure.
• The testimony contradicts statements from his former deputy, Francisco Martínez, who alleged the minister inquired about a collaborator in the Bárcenas family.
• The trial concerns a suspected parapolicial operation conducted between 2013 and 2015 to recover information potentially incriminating to the PP.
• Jorge Fernández Díaz faces a prosecution request for a 15-year prison sentence.

Why it matters

The trial represents a significant legal reckoning for the alleged use of state resources for political espionage within the Spanish government.