One of BBVA's assignments to former commissioner José Manuel Villarejo was due to a risk of an attempt on the life of Francisco González, according to the latter's judicial testimony. The former president of BBVA revealed during his statement at the National Court that he received information that minions of the then president of Ausbanc, Luis Pineda, could attempt against him, so the board of directors of the financial entity decided to strengthen his security personal. Thus, one of the recordings of his testimony to which EL MUNDO has had access emerges.

“This may be related to information that comes to me that Mr. Pineda's activity, once he was detained, was closely related to people in the underworld. Corrochano [the head of BBVA Security] told me that he related to strange people. Consequently, "the board of directors decides in an agreement to prolong and strengthen my security." He was at risk, he said.

When asked by the prosecutor, González said he did not know the extent of the threat by security protocol. "That is not told, they do not tell me if they will kill me tomorrow, because it is part of the security code's behavior to protect the person not only physically but also psychologically . "

The report on his security was sent by Rafael Redondo, from Cenyt, to Corrochano, but González says he was unaware even though he was shown by the prosecutor. "If Corrochano has this document, it is because he believes that I am at risk because Pineda is in contact with hitmen and asks the board of directors to extend my surveillance."

Gonzalez introduced Pineda as a gangster trying to extort money from the bank. He said he tried to make other banks do without advertising in Ausbanc as he was going to do, but he did not succeed. "Other banks couldn't, but we don't have skeletons in the closet."

Gonzalez confirmed that BBVA filed "an anonymous complaint" because its legal services were recommended "to preserve the physical integrity of people in the bank." There was fear in the country's second financial institution that Pineda would retaliate against those who denounced him, Gonzalez said.

What the BBVA president did deny is that he denounced that denunciation in a meal with the then general director of the Police, Ignacio Cosidó and other senior officers in the Canillas police building, in Madrid. He framed that lunch in which Cosidó was interested in requesting technological help from BBVA and González does not remember talking about that complaint, although according to one of his collaborators, that matter was discussed.

Asked by prosecutors about whether it is possible to make fun of the bank's internal controls as it happened with Villarejo without the president finding out, Gonzalez responded affirmatively. "In an institution of 130,000 people we have had many incidents," he admitted. What he doubted is that the employees who worked directly with him broke those rules. "Those who dispatched with me do not think they have broken any code of conduct."

According to the criteria of The Trust Project

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  • Ausbanc
  • José Manuel Villarejo
  • Madrid
  • National audience

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