Zapatero affair

José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero

The Zapatero affair[1] or Plus Ultra affair is an ongoing judicial investigation by the National Court of Spain regarding an alleged corruption scheme (including influence peddling, money laundering and creation of shell corporations) that benefited from the bailout of the Spanish airline Plus Ultra Líneas Aéreas in 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic. The case gained prominence in May 2026 after José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, former prime minister of Spain, was indicted for allegedly leading the scheme and using his influence to force the State Company for Industrial Investments (SEPI) to authorise the bailout.[2] The case took a new turn after a police search of Zapatero's offices found various pieces of jewelry—with an estimated value of 1.3 million euros[3]—whose origin is still pending justification.[4][5]

The investigation claims the existence of an organized scheme allegedly dedicated to influencing administrative and financial decisions through a network of intermediaries, shell companies, and high-level political contacts, operating both in Spain and abroad, particularly in countries such as Venezuela or the United Arab Emirates.[6][7][8] Subsequently, the investigation was expanded with a separate probe concerning the jewelry found during the police search in Zapatero's office, for possible tax fraud and smuggling crimes.[9] Despite clues, inferences and indirect links, the investigation has yet to offer any direct evidence against Zapatero himself.[10][11] The former prime minister has defended his innocence while seeking the annulment of the case, claiming the proceedings violated his fundamental rights,[12][13] both because the circumstantial evidence against him was allegedly obtained illegally,[14][15] and because of persistent data breaches of the judicial summary and of his private information to the media.[16][17]

The case shook the ruling government of Spain, both because Zapatero remained a close political ally to the incumbent prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, and because it came amid other corruption probes on other Sánchez's allies and relatives.[18][19] Both Sánchez's government and his Spanish Socialist Workers' Party have defended Zapatero's innocence and at a point even suggested that he could be a victim of a lawfare campaign against Sánchez by right-wing media and judicial sectors,[20][21][22] but privately conceded that Zapatero's lobbying activities damaged the ethical image and public example he had cultivated in comparison with other former prime ministers.[23][24][25]

Origins

In 2021, after the concession of several public aid to companies after the COVID-19 pandemic, several Spanish organisations and political parties questioned the legality and suitability regarding the €53 million bailout of the Plus Ultra airline, that flies between Spain and South America.[26]

The far-right union Manos Limpias (Spanish for "Clean Hands") and the opposition People's and Vox parties presented complaints considering the airline did not meet the requirements to be considered strategic for the Spanish economy, and reported alleged crimes of embezzlement, abuse of power, bribery and influence peddling. However, these proceedings were archived by the Madrid Court of Instruction number 5 after not finding sufficient evidence.[27]

New evidence

In 2024, the Spanish Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office received cooperation requests from France and Switzerland related to possible fraudulent activities of money laundering regarding the Plus Ultra bailout. The Prosecutor's Office presented a report to the National Court of Spain and started confidential investigations.[28]

In March 2026, the Economic and Fiscal Crime Unit (UDEF) of the National Police Corps received information from the United States Department of Homeland Security regarding phone transcripts of Rodolfo Reyes, Venezuelan president of Plus Ultra, that describe the scheme and incriminate former prime minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero.[29] On 19 May 2026, the National Court judge José Luis Calama ended the confidentiality of the investigations and released a court order summoning former president Zapatero to declare in court and issuing search warrants to several officers linked to him.[2] The court order stated that the investigations found an "organised and stable structure" allegedly dedicated to influence peddling and obtaining economic advantages through institutional and corporate contracts.[30]

References

  1. ↑ Cué, Carlos (24 May 2026). "El 'caso Zapatero' sacude un final de legislatura agónico". El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 16 June 2026.
  2. 1 2 Latona, David (19 May 2026). "Former Spanish PM Zapatero investigated as alleged leader of influence-peddling ring". Madrid: Reuters. Retrieved 16 June 2026.
  3. ↑ "La tasación encargada por el juez estima en 1,3 millones de euros las joyas intervenidas a Zapatero en su despacho" (in Spanish). RTVE. 12 June 2026. Retrieved 29 June 2026.
  4. ↑ Pozas, Alberto; Celorio, Álvaro; Barandela, Marta; Aduriz, Íñigo (12 June 2026). "La nueva investigación a Zapatero por las joyas incautadas en su despacho complica su futuro judicial". elDiario.es (in Spanish). Retrieved 29 June 2026.
  5. ↑ Artuch, María José; Navarro Sorolla, María (26 June 2026). "Las joyas de Zapatero y los regalos a presidentes: desde cuándo y cómo se regulan" (in Spanish). RTVE. Retrieved 29 June 2026.
  6. ↑ "Consulte aquí el auto completo de la imputación de Zapatero". Demócrata (in Spanish). 19 May 2026. Retrieved 29 June 2026.
  7. ↑ Muñoz, Miguel (20 May 2026). "Un catedrático explica la imputación de Zapatero: "Que no haya una pistola humeante no excluye que no haya conducta delictiva"" (in Spanish). Cadena SER. Retrieved 29 June 2026.
  8. ↑ Rincón, Reyes (27 May 2026). "El origen de la investigación a Zapatero: de una red internacional de blanqueo se llegó a Plus Ultra, Julio Martínez y el expresidente". El País (in Spanish). Madrid. Retrieved 29 June 2026.
  9. ↑ Martialay, Ángela (12 June 2026). "El juez Calama abre una pieza separada para investigar a Zapatero por delitos fiscal y de contrabando por las joyas halladas en el registro de su despacho". El Mundo (in Spanish). Madrid. Retrieved 29 June 2026.
  10. ↑ Herrera, Elena; Águeda, Pedro (26 May 2026). "El sumario del caso Zapatero: de las sospechas por los ingresos del presidente y sus hijas a las deducciones de la Policía". elDiario.es (in Spanish). Retrieved 29 June 2026.
  11. ↑ Dorta, Irene (21 June 2026). "Los 156 minutos en los que Zapatero no logró convencer al juez de su inocencia". El País (in Spanish). Madrid. Retrieved 29 June 2026.
  12. ↑ "Zapatero proclaims his innocence before the judge and assures that he has no assets or accounts outside of Spain". Demócrata. 17 June 2026. Retrieved 29 June 2026.
  13. ↑ "Zapatero demands to annul the Plus Ultra case for violating fundamental rights". Demócrata. Agencias. 25 June 2026. Retrieved 29 June 2026.
  14. ↑ Poderoso Díaz, Juanma (23 June 2026). "Zapatero plantea al juez la nulidad de la causa y pide comprobar si la prueba en su contra se obtuvo de forma legal". ABC (in Spanish). Retrieved 29 June 2026.
  15. ↑ García, Leocenis (28 June 2026). "La prueba clave del caso Zapatero: una evidencia obtenida sin orden judicial española". El Nacional (in Spanish). Retrieved 29 June 2026.
  16. ↑ Jiménez Gálvez, José María (25 June 2026). "El juez ordena investigar las filtraciones del caso que mantiene imputado a Zapatero". El País (in Spanish). Madrid. Retrieved 29 June 2026.
  17. ↑ Pozas, Alberto; Barandela, Marta (28 June 2026). "La causa contra Zapatero se expande entre acusaciones de nulidad y filtraciones". elDiario.es (in Spanish). Retrieved 29 June 2026.
  18. ↑ Jones, Sam (28 May 2026). "Spanish PM's family affair: the corruption cases involving Pedro Sánchez's brother, wife and predecessor". The Guardian. Madrid. Retrieved 29 June 2026.
  19. ↑ Thykjaer, Christina; Blackburn, Gavin (18 June 2026). "Graft probe into Spanish ex-PM Zapatero expanded to daughters and secretary, court says". Euronews. Agence France-Presse. Retrieved 29 June 2026.
  20. ↑ "Moncloa receives Zapatero's indictment with surprise and trusts that Sánchez will defend him in Congress". Demócrata. 19 May 2026. Retrieved 29 June 2026.
  21. ↑ Carreño, Ángel (19 May 2026). "Los socios del Gobierno sugieren que Zapatero podría ser víctima de 'lawfare' por su imputación". El Independiente (in Spanish). Retrieved 29 June 2026.
  22. ↑ Gil, Iván (28 June 2026). "El Gobierno saca el caso Zapatero del "lawfare" y espera a su defensa para reorientar su estrategia". El Periódico (in Spanish). Madrid. Retrieved 29 June 2026.
  23. ↑ López, Víctor (24 May 2026). "Expresidentes SL: el 'caso Zapatero' destapa el vacío legal sobre las actividades de quienes ocuparon la Moncloa". Público (in Spanish). Madrid. Retrieved 29 June 2026.
  24. ↑ Galindo, Mariano (30 May 2026). "El 'caso Zapatero' o cuando los expresidentes dejan de ser intocables para la ley: de Sarkozy y Berlusconi a Trump". Vozpópuli (in Spanish). Retrieved 29 June 2026.
  25. ↑ Moreno, Marta (17 June 2026). "Moncloa rehúye el debate ético y se refugia en las reformas legales para justificar las joyas de Zapatero: "Ahora está regulado"". 20 minutos (in Spanish). Retrieved 29 June 2026.
  26. ↑ "Airlines and destinations - Plus Ultra". AENA. Retrieved 16 June 2026.
  27. ↑ "La Justicia archiva la causa por el rescate de 53 millones de la aerolínea Plus Ultra" (in Spanish). RTVE. 9 June 2023. Retrieved 16 June 2026.
  28. ↑ Rodríguez, Irene (19 May 2026). "El origen de la investigación a Zapatero en 2024: un blanqueo de fondos procedente de Venezuela" (in Spanish). Antena 3. Retrieved 16 June 2026.
  29. ↑ "US Homeland Security says it assisted Spain in probe of former PM Zapatero". Washington D.C. / Madrid: Reuters. 20 May 2026. Retrieved 16 June 2026.
  30. ↑ "La Audiencia Nacional cita al expresidente José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero como investigado por delitos de tráfico de influencias y otros conexos" (in Spanish). Judiciary of Spain. 19 May 2026. Retrieved 16 June 2026.
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