the minister of The Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, looking for a woman to head the Civil Guard, according to sources in its environment. Be the first to hold that office, which until Tuesday was occupied by the magistrate judge Felix Azon, ceased along to the secretary of State for Security, Ana Botella, and the director of communication of the ministry, Sea Hedo. For the moment, there is only respite in the secretariat of State, who will take his (until now) head of the cabinet and judge, Rafael Ruiz. Marlaska worry now is to find that woman that represents the Armed Institute.
“Put a woman in charge of the Civil Guard was his original idea when he arrived at the ministry a year ago and a half”, said sources from its immediate environment. However, they clarify the same sources, “he could not carry it out because he had to accept the candidate of Margarita Robles, Felix Azon, after which she assumed the Ministry of Defense”. However, other sources also point out that Marlaska knew Azon for years, and that he supported (among other members) to be president of the Criminal chamber of the Audiencia Nacional. In any case, the position of director of the Civil Guard is appointed on the joint proposal and consensus of the two ministries, Interior and Defense.
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But the reaffirmed minister Marlaska has taken action to form a ministry-to-measure and “with people of their total trust”, secure in your environment. The first name that has rung to direct the Armed Institute, is also that of a magistrate, Carmen Rodríguez Medel, instructor of the procedure of the Masters of Pablo Casado, president of the PP. However, this Wednesday is not finished thrive on that proposal. While were still speculating on other possible candidates for the judiciary, the speculation moved to the Congress, “someone with a profile that is more political, perhaps”, auguraban within the body, and another name was in the form of WhatsApp: the the mp for Zaragoza Susana Sumelzo, “very close to Pedro Sánchez”, they argued. At the end of the day, there was nothing concrete, except that “to the Council of Ministers special this Friday should be resolved”, pointed sources ministerial.
Have been three removals in one fell swoop: the secretary of State of Security, the deputy, the socialist valencian Ana Botella; the director of the Civil Guard, the magistrate judge Felix Azon; and the director of Communication, Sea Hedo. And a appointment, yet to formalize, that of his chief of staff and partner, Rafael Ruiz, as the new Secretary of State. Are the first movements in a ministry that is always tumultuous, and reflects many of the tensions of the Spanish policy.
Marlaska seems to have proposed, now, make your computer. “Man-tight and affinities”, according to those who know him when you ask for replacements for the vacancies. The output of Ana Botella, a woman “imposed” by the party when Marlaska, was appointed a minister and with whom he “never understood”, according to sources in the ministry setting, is also the output of the profile and more political in that ministry. Or Marlaska or Ruiz are political.
Marlaska has been delivered this year and the middle of major scandals, but has touched some depths. The management of the conflict in Catalonia was strongly criticised internally by the two bodies of security of the State, was in those days that the public disorder and violent altercations were seizing the streets of Barcelona. His management of the affair was saved thanks to the coordination between the police and Mossos d’esquadra. The image of the two bodies charged together against the violent, against the remembered of the day of the referendum illegal from 1 October 2017, served to dampen the crisis in Catalan, in full swing after learning of the judgment of the procés.
it Is possible that the fact that the director of the National Police, Francisco Pardo Piqueras —a man on the team of the socialist José Bono of all life, it is installed virtually in Catalonia during those critical days, has served to revalidarle (at least for the moment) in the post. The margin of the own Bonus to go to the last shot of the possession of the minister Marlaska.
In the case of Felix Azon, the eesc was “sung”, according to indicated sources of the environment ministry. The Civil Guard has been the body more headaches has given him to Grande-Marlaska during this short-lived legislature. First was the cessation of the colonel Manuel Sanchez Corbi as a responsible person of the Unit Central Operating (UCO), after an e-mail that put in evidence the shortage of means of reserve Funds they had for their research. After the operation against the CDR, of which Marlaska is learned a posteriori, and that also commended a posteriori, the prior reprimand to some controls of that body. The result of “an operation in an extraordinary and professional“ (as he described), has been that all the detainees have been released on bail.
Then came the disagreements with the general of the civil guard of Catalonia, Pedro Garrido, for a speech that offended the Mossos, who left the act of the patron saint of the body. And now the software by removing the Civil Guard to the powers of Traffic in Navarra. Neither Azon or Bottle —responsible for the coordination between bodies— were able to quell the unrest with the ministry in a body, which historically feels wronged with respect to the National Police. Even more, after that Bottle would appoint as head of the Cabinet of Studies to be a Police officer, the commissioner Jose Antonio Rodriguez. With this appointment, a police historically linked to the PSOE occupied a position which until then used to correspond to the Guardia Civil. “To change”, point sources ministry, was appointed as chief of the Intelligence Centre against Terrorism and Organised Crime (CITCO) to a civil guard, the general of the Angel Alonso Miranda. Both are still in of time in their respective positions.
The communications team, a key piece in all of the ministries, is headless and waiting for an appointment. Sea Hedo, with extensive experience in the field after being also for years the head of press of Penitentiary Institutions, was until now one of the trusted people of Fernando Grande-Marlaska, at least in the face of the gallery. Its cessation has been a surprise to the environment minister. The situation of paralysis that has affected the first Government of Sánchez has also made a dent on the Inside, with a few calls and presentations in recent times, mores beyond the repeated announcement of the withdrawal of the concertinas (that is not over produced) and of the insistence in the fight against gender violence and the equality of women within the forces and bodies of security, which still is far from being a reality, especially in positions of command.
Sources in the environment Marlaska predict that this time the minister will bet for your new management “by people of his highest confidence to all new posts”.
