The National Court is investigating former socialist president José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero for alleged criminal organization, influence peddling, and document forgery in the Plus Ultra case.
The National Court of Spain charged former socialist president José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero this Monday as part of the investigation into the state rescue of the airline Plus Ultra, a case that is shaking the Spanish political system and is already considered one of the biggest corruption scandals in recent years.
Judge José Luis Calama summoned Zapatero to testify on June 2 as an investigated party for alleged crimes of organized crime, influence peddling, and document forgery.
The case revolves around the multimillion-euro rescue of Plus Ultra
The investigation points to the public rescue of 53 million euros granted in 2021 to the airline Plus Ultra, a company linked to Venezuelan businessmen and which has been under suspicion for possible financial irregularities for years.
According to the judicial order, the Justice suspects that part of those funds may have been used for:
payment of illegal commissions
money laundering operations
simulated contracts
use of shell companies
It is the first time that a former Spanish president has been charged with corruption.
Justice points to Zapatero as the leader of the scheme
The investigating magistrate considers that the former president would have headed a “stable and hierarchical structure of influence peddling” aimed at benefiting private interests through his access to political and business power.
The investigation also examines payments amounting to hundreds of thousands of euros linked to consultancies and companies related to Zapatero's circle and businesses run by his daughters.
According to the judicial documentation, the UDEF detected:
suspicious transfers
opaque financial movements
use of offshore companies in Dubai
possible maneuvers to conceal the origin of the money
This is the first time a former Spanish president has been charged with corruption
The case marks a historic event in Spain: it is the first time a democratic former president has been formally investigated for corruption crimes of this magnitude.
The case generated an immediate political earthquake within the PSOE and in Pedro Sánchez's government.
While official sectors denounced an alleged “political persecution,” the opposition described the episode as a sign of structural corruption within Spanish socialism.
It is the first time that a former Spanish president has been charged with corruption.
The PP and Vox intensified their criticism of the PSOE
From the Popular Party, they stated that Zapatero's indictment represents a devastating blow to Pedro Sánchez's government and demanded immediate explanations.
Vox, for its part, called for action against what it defined as a network of political corruption linked to Spanish socialism.
Even historical leaders of the PSOE expressed surprise at the news. The president of Castilla-La Mancha, Emiliano García-Page, stated that he was left “stunned” upon learning of the indictment.
The investigation may expand in the coming weeks
The National Court has already authorized searches in offices and companies linked to the former president's circle, while the UDEF continues to analyze financial and corporate documentation.
Although there is still no judicial conviction, the case threatens to become one of the most delicate processes for Spanish socialism in decades and could have strong political consequences amid the wear and tear of Pedro Sánchez's government.
