A court of the Spanish National Court has charged former President of the Government José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero with criminal organization, influence peddling and documentary falsification in the case that investigates alleged collections of illegal commissions in the rescue of the Plus Ultra airline during the COVID-19 pandemic and considers him as the alleged leader of “a stable and hierarchical structure of influence peddling.”

This Tuesday they are searching the office of the former head of the socialist executive (2004-2011) and three other commercial headquarters, legal sources informed the EFE agency.

First time in democracy

In 2024, the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office, together with the Economic and Fiscal Crime Unit (UDEF) of the National Police, discovered that the ransom money could have been used to launder money from Venezuelan corruption, reports the EFE agency.

This is the first time in democracy that a former president of the Government has been charged by justice.

The accusation was decided by Judge José Luis Calama who on March 3 assumed jurisdiction over this case that investigates a possible crime of money laundering in the Plus Ultra airline.

Zapatero's reaction

“All my public and private activity has always been carried out with absolute respect for legality,” Zapatero guaranteed in a video sent to the media after receiving a notification from the Spanish National Court citing him as being investigated for next June 2.

In response to this summons, the Spanish politician expressed his willingness "of course" to collaborate with justice, but assures that he has "never" had any commercial company, "neither in Spain nor outside of Spain", either directly or through third parties, nor has he participated in any operation of that type.

He adds that all income and remuneration from his private activity have been declared via IRPF (Personal Income Tax) with absolute transparency and legality. "I want to reaffirm with complete force - he emphasizes - that I have never made any representation to any public administration or the public sector in relation to the rescue of Plus Ultra or to any other administration."

Zapatero also expresses that he will exercise his right to defense “with all the firmness and all the conviction,” and advances that in the coming days he will speak to the media.