“Rubiales chose me because of my age and good image”

Last Friday, Pedro Rocha went to the Majadahonda court to testify as a witness – and therefore with an obligation to tell the truth – before the magistrate investigating several cases of corruption in the Football Federation (RFEF) during the time of Luis Rubiales, of which Rocha was vice president and vice president for economics, as well as president of the management company. Rocha entered as a witness and left as an investigator. A video of his speech, accessed by elDiario.es, shows how the questions develop in a tense session full of “I don’t know” and some contradictions.

One of the most frequently asked questions concerns his role in the Federation and the Super Cup contract he took with Saudi Arabia in exchange for 40 million annually for the RFEF and 4 million annually for the footballer Gerard Pique, whose accounts in Andorra are also being investigated. The reason for the justice’s interest is that Andreu Camps, the former secretary general of Rubiales, told the same judge in February that the economic commission chaired by Rocha had to approve all contracts, as well as the Super Cup contract, so the questions of interrogation are aimed at the functions of this commission and responsibility of the current sole candidate for the post of RFEF Chairman.

When Rocha was asked why Rubiales chose him as vice president for economics in 2020, he did not give a clear answer or explain his merits: “I would do it because I was one of the oldest members and I have a good image, and that There was definitely a profile.” “My role was representative,” he repeatedly asserted, relinquishing managerial responsibilities that he said were performed by department directors, four of whom were indicted. He responds to the prosecutor that his academic qualifications “are life”, that when he joined the management company, he received the same salary as Rubiales – more than 600,000 euros per year – and insists on his merits to be vice president with “ I don’t know,” is a phrase he repeats repeatedly, in addition to declaring himself a businessman.

Throughout the statement, Rocha says he knows “nothing” about the Super Bowl contract, despite Camps saying it had to go through his panel. Even when her colleague, Integrity’s vice president, resigned, she didn’t know what it was about, the prosecutor asks, to which Rocha responds evasively and says he didn’t ask her why? The presidential candidate insists that this contract with Arabia, like the contract with Grukonsa, which is being investigated in connection with work at the La Cartuja stadium, did not pass through the economic commission that he chaired.

He states that he has no knowledge of the law firm’s hiring of another person involved, Tomas Gonzalez Cueto, or what he was hired for. However, having reached the last Gruconsa contract during interrogation, when Rocha was already president of the management company, the candidate limits himself to the statement that he was informed that this company had been chosen – despite previous suspicions regarding this construction company – but that the decision was made by technical specialists.

The prosecutor’s questions are sometimes answered evasively or with some discomfort, especially when he insists on how he could not have known about the contract with Saudi Arabia or how he says he would not have had a signature if he had the authority of an RFEF representative. in front of the notary: “Authorities…? It was a representative position,” he insists. “Where does it say you were a representative?” – the prosecutor asks him, to which Rocha does not know what to answer. In fact, he goes so far as to say: “Now I find out that there is an extension from Arabia, because it did not pass through the economic commission.” So you still didn’t know when the Super Cup would be played in Saudi Arabia?”

The questions and answers are repeated in this tone until the prosecutor tells him that his condition has passed from a witness to the investigation, so he will testify to the lawyer, to which the judge agrees in front of a confused Pedro Rocha and asks for an explanation.