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The Andorran justice investigates Rajoy, Montoro and Fernández Díaz for the 'Catalonia operation'

The complaint is for alleged coercion, extortion and blackmail.

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The Andorran justice investigates Rajoy, Montoro and Fernández Díaz for the 'Catalonia operation'

The complaint is for alleged coercion, extortion and blackmail

BARCELONA, 14 Jun. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The Andorran justice investigates the former President of the Government Mariano Rajoy and his former Ministers of Economy and Interior, Cristóbal Montoro and Jorge Fernández Díaz, respectively, for their alleged relationship with the attempts to know "through illegal means" secret banking information of the former presidents of the Generalitat Jordi Pujol and Artur Mas, as well as former Vice President Oriol Junqueras, within what is known as 'Operation Catalunya'.

As stated in the rogatory commission of the Andorran justice sent to the Spanish judicial authorities, consulted by Europa Press, the specialized investigating judge number 2 of Andorra, Stéphanie Garcia Garcia, urges those investigated to appoint a lawyer or, failing that, Within 15 days from the notification of the complaints, one will be assigned ex officio.

In the rogatory commission, of May 20, 2022, the defendants are Mariano Rajoy, Crostóbal Montoro, Jorge Fernández Díaz, the former Secretary of State Francisco Martínez and the former Director General of the Police Ignacio Cosidó, as well as the former police commanders Eugenio Pino and Bonifacio Ten.

According to said brief, the facts denounced in the complaints are related to alleged extortion, coercion and blackmail since 2014 by agents of the National Police against those responsible for the Banca Privada d'Andorra (BPA) to learn "through illegal means" of a secret banking information protected by Andorran legislation" of several Catalan rulers and their relatives, including Pujol, Mas and Junqueras.

For this reason, the defendants are being investigated for alleged crimes of coercion, threats of an evil constituting a crime, blackmail, extortion, coercion of constitutional bodies and the creation of a false document.

According to a statement from the lawyers behind the lawsuit, the Andorran judiciary has extended the lawsuit filed by two entities, Juristes Drets and the Institut de Drets Humans d'Andorra (Idha), which was later joined by the president of Banca Privada of Andorra (BPA), Higini Cierco i Noguer, and the CEO of the entity, Joan Pau Miquel.

In 2020, Andorra admitted a second extension of the initial complaint: it investigates Rajoy, Montoro and Fernández Díaz for an alleged crime of falsifying documents for sending false information to US authorities to harm the BPA; and Rajoy and Montoro for an alleged crime against the constitutional bodies for allegedly intimidating the head of the Andorran Government and his ministers to liquidate the financial entity.

Also to Fernández Díaz, and his then subordinates, the former Secretary of State for Security Francisco Martínez, and the former Director General of the Police, Ignacio Cosidó, for the alleged crimes of threats, extortion and blackmail.

At first, the complaint was directed against the chief inspector of the National Police who was attached to the Spanish Embassy in Andorra, Celestino Barroso Sánchez, and the former head of the Internal Affairs Unit (UAI) Marcelino Martín Blas, who allegedly coerced and extorted the BPA leaders to obtain data from alleged Andorran bank accounts owned by the Mas, Pujol and his family, and Junqueras.

The first extension of the complaint affected the former DAO Eugenio Pino, superior of both, and the chief inspector Bonifacio Díez Sevillano.