Scandal inquiries by police cost Interior number two his job

The number two official at the Interior Ministry stepped down on Friday, citing personal reasons, just one year after being appointed.

Deputy Prime Minister Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría confirmed the resignation of Ignacio Ulloa as the chief of staff to Interior Minister Jorge Fernández just hours after his departure was reported on newspaper online websites. Ulloa was replaced by Francisco Martínez, who has been serving as the secretary of state for security.

Government sources have denied that there were other factors that compelled Ulloa’s resignation. “It is a very demanding job that requires time, and he felt that he needed to devote more time to his personal life and family,” one source said.

But police sources maintain that Ulloa couldn’t withstand the enormous political pressure he was getting from the secretary of state for the interior and other government officials over several scandals surrounding political investigations.

One of the cases was the ongoing inquiry into a luxurious Marbella penthouse used by Madrid regional premier Ignacio González of the Popular Party. The home is registered under a company that reportedly specializes in concealing named of the proper owners for tax evasion purposes. The inquiry also reportedly cost Enrique Rodríguez Ulla of the judicial police force his job.

Another case that was causing a lot of pressure was the recent leak of an economic crimes squad investigative dossier that mentions supposed accounts held by Catalan regional premier Artur Mas in Switzerland.

Police sources said that Ulloa and Police Chief Ignacio Cosidó had a “very bad” relationship.