The figure of the director of the CNI, Paz Esteban, has been in the pillory since the independence supporters' complaint that they were spied on and worsened when the government made public that the cell phones of Pedro Sánchez and Minister Margarita Robles had been spied on.

The Executive left Esteban's future in the air, delving into the thesis that she would be the piece to collect from her to try to reduce the anger of her nationalist partners.

But the decision about her future, although everything indicates that she is taken-she will leave office-is cold, in the sense that the PSOE is postponing it until the open investigation in the Spanish secret services ends.

When the controversy broke out, and in the face of the demands and threats of partners such as ERC to make the legislature unfeasible, the Government promised the nationalists measures such as an internal investigation of the CNI and another of the Ombudsman.

The "opening of an internal control in the CNI, at the request of this same body", explained the Minister of the Presidency, Félix Bolaños, in an emergency visit to the Generalitat to try to reduce the conflict.

La Moncloa's determination to leave the director of the CNI alone, placing her in the spotlight, collided with the firmness of the Defense Minister, who endorsed her work and efforts.

The decision had been made, at least that is how it was revealed in government sources, but it does not seem imminent.

At least that is how it emerges after Monday's meeting of the Federal Executive of the PSOE chaired by Pedro Sánchez.

Yes, Paz Esteban is still not ratified in the position in the future, but it is sought to have that internal investigation in the CNI as an argument.

"We understand that responsibilities can be asked, but if they have to be assumed, it will be once what has happened is known," said Felipe Sicilia, spokesman for the PSOE.

"That we know how it could have been avoided if it could have been avoided. Let's wait to see what that internal control says, what the conclusions say and we will see if demands and responsibilities have to be carried out."

The appearance of the person in charge of the CNI in Congress, in the official secrets commission, served to expose that 18 nationalist leaders, including Pere Aragonès, had been spied on, but under judicial authorization.

There was judicial protection and they were not the more than 60 people that the Citizen Lab report said that the independence movement clung to.

Therefore, the arguments for immediately dismissing Paz Esteban were blurred, since what she had shown was that he had proceeded legally and with authorization.

To this was added the reluctance of Robles to give in to the independence movement and hand over a scapegoat.

Robles is a minister from the socialist sector, but she is not from the PSOE.

And in this matter, the different forcefulness has been evidenced in terms of the defense of the CNI and the response to the demands of the nationalists.

The director of the CNI "has the support of those who have to have it, of the Minister of Defense, more would be missing. It is the minister who has to support her and she has done so", is the line that the Socialists mark.

Esteban is still in his position, "to this day" they clarify in the PSOE, because "to date there is not a single piece of information or a single reason why he is not in his position."

Once the internal investigation is over and it is known why the espionage on Pedro Sánchez's cell phone was not detected or why it took a year to find out about him, then there will be decisions.

"Decisions with forcefulness and determination", they wield in the PSOE, in case of having the arguments that legitimize the decision to dismiss Esteban.

The conclusions of this internal control are not yet in and, in fact, the motives of ministers and senior government officials are still being analyzed.

La Moncloa does not yet have a basis on which to base the departure of the person in charge of the secret services without it being seen as a mere acceptance of the demands of the nationalists.

"That internal control continues. If it is necessary to continue taking measures, they will continue to be taken," Sicilia has anticipated.

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  • PSOE

  • CNI

  • Pegasus case

  • Margaret Oaks

  • Pedro Sanchez

  • Ministry of Defence

  • Pere Aragones

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