Madrid (Spain), 17 June (LaPresse) – Former Spanish Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero has denied, before the investigating judge of the National Court, José Luis Calama, that he intervened to ensure that Pedro Sánchez’s government rescued the airline Plus Ultra during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2021. This was reported by sources present at the former Socialist leader’s questioning, as cited by the newspaper El País. Zapatero is answering questions from investigating judge Calama and his lawyer, Víctor Moreno, regarding both the airline’s rescue and the discovery of jewellery during a search of his office, estimated to be worth over 1.3 million euros. The former prime minister is suspected of having exerted pressure to save the airline – whose main shareholder is the Venezuelan businessman Rodolfo Reyes – in exchange for financial benefits. Calama suspects that Zapatero is at the head of a “stable, hierarchical structure” dedicated to “influence peddling” and “money laundering”, which also had links with authorities and business figures in Venezuela, China, the United Arab Emirates and other countries. He is suspected of influence peddling, money laundering, document forgery and membership of a criminal organisation, as well as tax offences and smuggling following the discovery of jewellery in his office, the origin of which is unknown.
Spain: Zapatero denies having intervened in the Plus Ultra bailout
Madrid (Spain), 17 June (LaPresse) – Former Spanish Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero has denied, before the investigating judge of the National Court, José Luis Calama, that he intervened to ensure that Pedro Sánchez’s government rescued the airline Plus Ultra during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2021. This was reported by sources present at the former Socialist leader’s questioning, as cited by the newspaper El País. Zapatero is answering questions from investigating judge Calama and his lawyer, Víctor Moreno, regarding both the airline’s rescue and the discovery of jewellery during a search of his office, estimated to be worth over 1.3 million euros. The former prime minister is suspected of having exerted pressure to save the airline – whose main shareholder is the Venezuelan businessman Rodolfo Reyes – in exchange for financial benefits. Calama suspects that Zapatero is at the head of a “stable, hierarchical structure” dedicated to “influence peddling” and “money laundering”, which also had links with authorities and business figures in Venezuela, China, the United Arab Emirates and other countries. He is suspected of influence peddling, money laundering, document forgery and membership of a criminal organisation, as well as tax offences and smuggling following the discovery of jewellery in his office, the origin of which is unknown.
