Podcast Summary: Un tema Al Día

Episode: Villarejo visita a Cospedal: los audios que no se investigan

Host: Juanlu Sánchez
Guests: José Manuel Romero (elDiario.es), Pedro Águeda (elDiario.es)
Date: December 15, 2025

Overview

This episode delves into the newly revealed audio recordings between José Manuel Villarejo, a former police commissioner with a notorious reputation for clandestine recordings and political intrigue, and María Dolores de Cospedal, the former secretary-general of Spain's Partido Popular (PP). The podcast investigates how these incriminating audios, which implicate PP leadership in efforts to hinder corruption investigations, have remained unexamined by Spanish courts despite their gravity. Journalists José Manuel Romero and Pedro Águeda break down the significance of the recordings, the inactivity of judicial authorities, and the lasting impact of Villarejo’s shadowy activities on Spanish political history.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Villarejo–Cospedal Connection

• Setting the Scene ([00:55–03:30]):
  • Villarejo arrives at PP headquarters in Madrid via official car, enters discreetly through the garage, and ascends directly to Cospedal's office, highlighting the trusted, clandestine nature of the meeting.
  • The podcast replays the atmosphere of secrecy, with Villarejo’s routine of recording everyone he interacts with, making these actions his "insurance" and "business."

2. Context and Power Dynamics

• Cospedal’s Role in 2013–2017 ([04:31–05:10]):
  • Cospedal, as secretary-general, effectively "ran the PP" and managed the fallout from the Bárcenas scandal and the illicit PP slush fund ("caja B").
  • Romero explains her central part in the political machinery seeking to suppress damaging evidence.

3. The 2013 Audiotapes – The "Libretita" and Protecting the Party

• Stopping the Evidence ([05:25–06:35]):

  • A January 2013 call sees Cospedal and Villarejo discussing how to "stop" the emergence of the "libretita"—the notebook documenting black-market payments within the party.

• Romero’s Context:

  “Ella teme que esa información tenga como base documental unos papeles donde figure ese tipo de pago de sobresueldos... e intenta parar lo que ella llama la libretita...” ([05:37], José Manuel Romero)

• Origins of Their Relationship ([06:35–07:39]):

  • The close relationship between Villarejo and Cospedal was brokered by her then-husband, Ignacio López del Hierro.
  • Romero notes Villarejo’s influence in government circles began with this connection.

4. Manipulating the Police Reports – The Role of Inspector Morocho

• April 2013 Call ([07:39–10:58]):
  • Villarejo discusses efforts with Rodríguez (Morocho, lead inspector) to persuade him to “soften” police reports implicating key PP figures in the slush fund scandal.
• Key Quote:

  “Lo que se cuenta en esa conversación es cómo los altos mandos de la policía intentan convencer a Morocho de que no sea tan explícito en sus informes.” ([08:33], José Manuel Romero)

• Significance:
  • Cospedal is heard lamenting that she only gets to read damaging reports a day before the judge does, highlighting her desire for prior access to sensitive material and reflecting outright manipulation or attempted interference in the judicial process.
  • The journalists agree this constitutes a potential revelation of secrets and manipulation of evidence.

5. The 2017 Recording – Corruption and the Catalonia Crisis

• September 2017 Conversation ([10:58–13:16]):
  • With the Catalonia independence referendum looming, Cospedal and Villarejo shift focus from corruption scandals to concerns about their own legal jeopardy and anti-separatist operations.
  • Villarejo seeks Cospedal’s help in quashing an anti-corruption probe into his activities, while she promises to intercede with key officials (anticorruption prosecutor and economy minister).
  • Villarejo describes police infiltration in the Mossos (Catalan regional police) and covert operations involving Victoria Álvarez, former partner of Jordi Pujol Ferrusola.
• Quote:

  "Como detecten que la Viki está cobrando de la policía, tenemos un lío, ¿no te parece?" ([11:11], José Manuel Villarejo)

6. Judicial Inactivity and Systemic Impunity

• Uninvestigated Evidence ([13:40–14:21]):

  • The audios were submitted to a judge in 2023, then left "buried" in the National Court without any inquiry or diligence.
  • Romero identifies this inaction as the gravest aspect:

  "Lo más grave de estos audios es el hecho de que en la Audiencia Nacional… hayan metido en el cajón estos audios sin querer siquiera hacer una mínima diligencia..." ([13:40], José Manuel Romero)

• Pedro Águeda’s Analysis ([14:34–16:28]):

  • Judges García Castellón and later Antonio Piña failed to pursue the matter. Evidence was kept inaccessible to all parties except via direct viewing in court.
  • The case “Kitchen” (the operation to retrieve incriminating materials from ex-treasurer Bárcenas) is headed to trial, but the evidence concerning Cospedal is "archived" and ignored—perhaps the most egregious unresolved scandal.

7. Villarejo: Symbol and Epitaph of a Dark Era

• His Legal Status and Legacy ([16:28–18:03]):
  • Villarejo is at liberty, not suffering the heavy consequences many expected. Key charges have been dismissed or resulted in minimal sentencing.
  • Águeda reflects on the closing of an era of "cloaca politics," though warns that similar figures could emerge.
• Quote:

  “Con la figura de Villarejo acaba una época... Villarejo es una persona que está en libertad, a la que los medios ya han empezado a olvidar y que no le está yendo tan mal como podría pensarse.” ([16:44], Pedro Águeda)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Villarejo’s Modus Operandi:

  "Lo de grabar no es una manía, es un negocio y un seguro de vida..." ([01:20], Juanlu Sánchez)

• Cospedal’s Attempts to Stop Evidence:

  “[Cospedal] intenta parar lo que ella llama la libretita, que en realidad es una contabilidad rudimentaria que llevaba Luis Bárcenas…” ([05:37], José Manuel Romero)

• Manipulating Police Reports:

  “...los altos mandos de la policía intentan convencer a Morocho de que no sea tan explícito en sus informes. No hace falta citar uno a uno todos los nombres…” ([08:35], José Manuel Romero)

• Judicial Inaction:

  “Eso es lo que me parece especialmente escandaloso de esta historia.” ([13:40], José Manuel Romero)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [00:55–03:30]: Villarejo’s covert arrival at PP HQ and meeting arrangements
• [04:31–05:10]: Cospedal’s power and efforts to manage party scandals
• [05:25–07:39]: The 2013 calls about “la libretita” and Cospedal’s link to Villarejo
• [07:43–10:58]: April 2013 conversation: pressure on police to redact incriminating evidence
• [10:58–13:16]: 2017 discussion: Villarejo seeks help amid the Catalan crisis and ongoing investigations
• [13:40–14:21]: Romero’s assessment of the audios’ importance and judicial neglect
• [14:34–16:28]: Pedro Águeda explains the judicial process (or lack thereof)
• [16:28–18:03]: Águeda on Villarejo’s current status and the legacy of the “cloacas del Estado”

Conclusion

The episode exposes the entrenched relationships between figures at the top echelons of power and the shadowy operators who serve, blackmail, and sometimes control them. It questions how such damning evidence could lie dormant in Spain’s judicial system, casting doubt on the political will for accountability. Both Romero and Águeda emphasize that, in the absence of meaningful legal action, these chapters of corruption and manipulation risk fading into impunity—echoes of a "cloaca" era that may not be as far in the past as it seems.

This summary captures the core revelations, analytical insights, and urgency in tone that characterize the episode for any listener seeking to understand the enduring political significance of the Villarejo–Cospedal audios.