# Leticia de la Hoz Withdraws from Koldo Garcia Legal Defense Team Attorney cites professional reasons for leaving the case amid ongoing legal controversies. - **Source:** [El Mundo – Portada](https://www.elmundo.es) - **Published:** 2026-11-10 - **Topic:** [politics](https://brifing.si/c/politics) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/d3af8ee7-5def-4c09-8642-cdc41279b765 ## Formal Resignation Filed Attorney Leticia de la Hoz has officially notified the Audiencia Nacional of her decision to step down as legal counsel for Koldo Garcia. In her written submission, she cited professional reasons protected by attorney-client privilege. She requested that the court formally require Garcia to appoint a new lawyer for his defense. ## Context of the Case Koldo Garcia, a former advisor to Jose Luis Abalos, is currently facing significant legal repercussions. He was previously sentenced to nineteen and a half years in prison for corruption-related offenses in the mask procurement scandal. His legal battles continue to unfold across multiple high-profile investigations within the Spanish judicial system today. ## Attorney's Own Legal Troubles Leticia de la Hoz is currently an indicted party in a separate investigation known as the PSOE cloacas case. She faces allegations of attempting to bribe businesswoman Carmen Pano. Pano previously testified in court that she delivered bags of cash to the party headquarters located on Ferraz street in Madrid. ## Focusing on Personal Defense Sources close to the attorney indicate that this resignation is a strategic move to prioritize her own legal defense. By stepping away from Garcia's case, she aims to distance herself from the public noise and complications generated by recent audio recordings involving her former client and his ongoing political allegations. ## Controversial Audio Recordings The resignation follows reports regarding audio recordings of Koldo Garcia. In these recordings, Garcia alleges that the Popular Party offered him one million euros in exchange for providing testimony against Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and other government members. These claims have added significant complexity to the broader legal proceedings currently underway. ## Scope of Legal Representation De la Hoz had previously represented Garcia in several critical legal forums. Her work included the mask case trial held at the Supreme Court, as well as ongoing proceedings at the Audiencia Nacional concerning public works contracts and allegations of irregular financing linked to the Socialist Party within the Spanish political landscape. ## Constitutional Right to Counsel In her resignation filing, the lawyer emphasized the importance of avoiding legal helplessness for the defendant. She invoked Article 24.2 of the Constitution and Article 118 of the Criminal Procedure Law to ensure Garcia's right to legal assistance remains protected while he transitions to a new, freely chosen legal representative. ## Future Judicial Implications The departure of a primary defense attorney often necessitates procedural delays in complex corruption cases. As Garcia seeks new counsel, the court must balance his constitutional rights against the efficiency of the ongoing investigations. Observers are now watching to see how this change impacts the trajectory of the broader Koldo case. ## Sources covering this story - [El Mundo – Portada — Attorney Leticia de la Hoz Resigns from Koldo Garcia's Defense Team](https://www.elmundo.es/espana/2026/11/10/6af32af121efa002098b4587.html) - [Europa Press — Leticia de la Hoz Withdraws from Koldo Garcia Defense](https://www.europapress.es/nacional/noticia-abogada-leticia-hoz-renuncia-defender-koldo-garcia-razones-profesionales-20261110152901.html) - [elDiario.es — Koldo Garcia's Attorney Resigns Following Payment Controversy](https://www.eldiario.es/politica/abogada-koldo-garcia-renuncia-defensa_1_13652818.html) --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._