Internal conversations, altered minutes, and fake votes once again cast doubt on the origin of the far-leftist Pedro Sánchez's leadership in PSOE
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PSOE primaries in 2017, which marked the political comeback of Pedro Sánchez and his subsequent rise to the Presidency of the Government, have become embroiled in serious controversy after the release of private messages that describe alleged maneuvers to manipulate the result. At the center of the revelations there is a specific phrase —"Include those of the four Romanians"— which, according to a journalistic investigation, summarizes a scheme of fraudulent votes, tampering with records, and manipulation of internal rolls.
The information was published by outlet "El Español", which claims to have gained access to Koldo García's mobile phone, former adviser to then minister José Luis Ábalos. The device's contents would include WhatsApp conversations that would show a coordinated operation to cheat in the primaries held on May 21, 2017, in which Sánchez prevailed with around 70% of the votes over Susana Díaz and Patxi López.
According to the investigation, the irregularities would not have been limited to an isolated incident, but would correspond to a systematic pattern. The messages describe precise instructions to intervene in internal votes, especially in Navarra, although the maneuvers would also have extended to other key federations such as Comunidad Valenciana, Madrid, and Andalucía. The objective, always according to what was published, was to ensure the victory of the candidate defeated in 2016 and later relaunched by the so-called "Peugeot group".
Pedro Sánchez.
The focus of the revelations is on the exchanges between Koldo García and his then partner, Patricia Úriz, identified as an alleged collaborator in the insertion of ballots and the alteration of records. Barely after the election day began, Koldo would have written to her: "Include those of the four Romanians", an instruction that, according to the outlet, would refer to the addition of non-existent votes to inflate the result.
Throughout the day, the contact would have been constant. Among the text messages released there are orders such as "Download the list" or "Listen, include Roldán and Pérez's and if they come say that you two have voted ok". At another moment, Úriz would have told him: "I'm waiting a bit so that the story about having counted goes through", while in another exchange she stated: "Espada and I can't vote until the very last moment". For the investigative journalists, these phrases point to deliberate manipulation of the tally and of the official documentation of the process.
A modus operandi with precedents
Suspicions are reinforced when observers note that this wouldn't be the first time that messages of this kind have appeared linked to PSOE internal processes. As had been reported, in 2014 UCO brought to light conversations related to that year's primaries. In those conversations, the then party Organization Secretary, Santos Cerdán, would have conveyed similar instructions to Koldo García.
One of those messages stated verbatim: "When it ends you write down that those two who are missing have voted without anyone seeing you and you insert the two ballots". Another, also attributed to Patricia Úriz, stated: "I leave the record at home with the votes and that way you can decide what to do about whether 16 or 17 vote". The repetition of this type of practice fuels the hypothesis of an organized structure to influence internal results.
Koldo, Sanchez y Cerdán.
The political impact of these revelations goes beyond the party sphere. The legitimacy of Pedro Sánchez's leadership, built on those primaries, is seriously called into question if the described irregularities are confirmed. From a critical perspective, the contrast is evident: socialism that presents itself as a guarantor of internal democracy and transparency now appears associated with practices of manipulation, fraud, and opacity.
Meanwhile, Koldo García's defense has requested an end to the leaks related to the material seized in the operation of February 20, 2024, which remains in the custody of the Civil Guard's Central Operative Unit. His lawyer, Leticia de la Hoz, denounced a situation of defenselessness and announced actions before national and European bodies.
