Ex-minister's defense claims 'Kitchen' case prosecution is solely due to his office

The defense for former Spanish Interior Minister Jorge Fernández Díaz argued in court that he is being targeted in the "Kitchen" case simply because of his former role. His lawyer, Jesús Mandri, presented the final arguments at the National Court, asserting that any alleged criminal responsibility is being unfairly attributed to the ex-minister based on his position.

Mandri emphasized that the prosecution's case heavily relies on testimony from Francisco Martínez, the former Secretary of State for Security and Fernández Díaz's former right-hand man. The defense lawyer contended that Martínez's statements implicating his former boss have not been independently corroborated. "We are demanding objective criminal responsibility for the reason of Fernández Díaz's position as minister," Mandri stated, requesting an acquittal due to a lack of proven criminal activity.

Prosecutors accuse Fernández Díaz of being at the helm of the alleged espionage operation against former Popular Party treasurer Luis Bárcenas. The operation's goal was reportedly to retrieve compromising documents Bárcenas might have held. However, the defense countered that the "Kitchen" operation was an intelligence gathering effort, not a "parapolice" operation, aligning with former Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy's earlier testimony. The defense also stressed that ministers are not typically informed of specific police operations or the management of confidential funds, and that Fernández Díaz had no particular interest in the information Bárcenas possessed.