The Central Operative Unit (UCO) of the Civil Guard begins a new stage with the appointment of Pedro Merino Castro as its head. The appointment, endorsed by the Ministry of the Interior after the promotion of Rafael Yuste to general, places the colonel at the head of one of the most strategic and sensitive bodies of the armed forces, in charge of the most complex investigations into corruption, economic crime and organized crime.
The replacement comes at a particularly delicate moment, with several court cases of high political impact open and with the UCO in the center of the media spotlight. Merino’s arrival not only means a change of name, but also a commitment to a profile with deep internal knowledge of the unit and extensive experience at the highest levels of the State.
A profile with a track record in the elite of the Civil Guard
Pedro Merino Castro is no stranger to the UCO: before assuming his leadership, he had already developed part of his career within this unit, especially in areas related to economic crime and the fight against money laundering. In fact, he came to head the Department of Economic Crime, one of the key nuclei of the UCO, from where some of the most complex and mediatic investigations are coordinated.
His résumé also includes posts of maximum institutional trust: he was aide-de-camp to Felipe VI, first during his time as prince and then as king, a position reserved for officers with an impeccable track record and absolute discretion. In turn, he served as a vocal advisor in the Department of National Security at La Moncloa, where he participated in the analysis and management of strategic issues related to State security.
The stage in Salamanca and a territorial vision of command
Before his return to the UCO, Merino closed a relevant stage as head of the Salamanca Civil Guard Command, a position he held since February 2022. His arrival in the province coincided with a context still marked by the pandemic, which conditioned his first months of management.
During this period he defended a Civil Guard close to the territory and especially attentive to the needs of rural areas, a key reality in provinces with high geographical dispersion. This operational experience in the field is now added to his technical and strategic background, reinforcing a profile that combines management, investigation and institutional knowledge.
What the UCO is investigating and why its leadership is key
The UCO is the unit in charge of investigating some of the most sensitive judicial cases in the country. In recent years it has led investigations related to alleged corruption schemes affecting the PSOE, as well as proceedings linked to Begoña Gómez and David Sánchez, wife and brother of the President of the Government.
It has also been responsible for recent actions such as the arrest of Leire Díez, a former socialist militant known as the party’s “plumber”, for allegedly rigging public contracts, or the investigation that led to the conviction and disqualification of former State Attorney General Álvaro García Ortiz.
This context makes the figure of the head of the UCO a key player in the institutional balance.
An appointment with political and institutional endorsement
The replacement at the head of the UCO is part of the promotion of Rafael Yuste to general, a decision that depends on the Ministry of Interior, led by Fernando Grande-Marlaska, although it also requires the approval of the Ministry of Defense, headed by Margarita Robles. Although in recent months other names had been mentioned as possible successors, finally Interior has opted for Pedro Merino Castro.
With his recent promotion to colonel, Merino returns to the Guardia Civil’s elite unit to assume command at a time of maximum public exposure. His appointment points to a line of operational continuity, based on the internal knowledge of the UCO, but also to a management marked by institutional experience.
