The cases of alleged corruption that plagues the Government They have marked the year 2024 in the courts. Up to four cases have been opened against the environment of Pedro Sanchez or political and judicial authorities linked to its Executive. Except for the former Minister of Transport, José Luis Ábaloswhom Ferraz expelled for his “political responsibility” in the Koldo casein it Moncloa Palace For the moment, they put their hand on the fire for the rest of those investigated.
The plot in which Ábalos has a “main role”according to the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office, came to light last February with the arrest of his former Transport advisor and trusted man, Koldo Garcia. The Delorme operation, carried out by the Central Operational Unit (UCO) of the Civil Guarduncovered a network of alleged commission charges for the purchase of masks in the worst of the pandemic.
The “family persecution” that the Government denounces began in April, when the union Clean Hands denounced Sánchez’s wife, Begoña Gómezfor alleged crimes of business corruption and influence peddling. The complaint, which was based on journalistic information about suspicious public awards to people linked to Gómez, such as businessman Juan Carlos Barrabés, was admitted by Judge Juan Carlos Peinado.
It was the accusation of his wife for these crimes that led the President of the Government to take action. five days of “reflection”as announced in an open letter to citizens. Despite doubts about his possible resignation, Sánchez decided to continue and denounced a “discredit campaign” against him and his family. Shortly after, a judge from Badajoz opened a criminal case against the brother of the presidentDavid Sánchez, for alleged irregularities in his hiring by the Provincial Council of that province.
Months passed and the cases advanced in parallel until the UCO reports on the Koldo plot implicated José Luis Ábalos, to whom investigators attributed a “main role” in the criminal organization that the National Court was investigating. The PSOE reacted and expelled him from its Parliamentary Group in Congress, so he moved to the Mixed Group, which allows him to retain his gauged condition.
It was then that the figure of the businessman emerged, although it already threatened to do so. Victor de Aldamaalleged commission agent and “corrupting nexus”according to the UCO, from the Ministry of Transportation headed by José Luis Ábalos. After being arrested along with Koldo García in February, he was arrested again for alleged VAT fraud of more than 180 million euros in a hydrocarbon plot.
Aldama then decided to base his defense strategy on a offensive against the Government. At his own request, he made a voluntary statement in the National Court which caused a political earthquake. And he aimed for the highest: he assured that was photographed with Pedro Sánchez because the president asked to meet him and thanked him for “everything he was doing” in relation to his efforts with the Mexican authorities in favor of Spanish companies. Likewise, he charged against the Government for the Delcygate and said he had paid hundreds of thousands of euros to both José Luis Ábalos and Koldo García in bribes.
That statement, in which Aldama acknowledged the commission of several crimes, led the judge investigating the hydrocarbons plot to let him on provisional releaseas requested by the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office. and the Koldo case arrived at Supreme Court for the capacity of José Luis Ábalos as a deputy of Congress. Koldo García and Aldama himself also remain under investigation in the high court. The judge has already asked the lower house for pleading to end the parliamentary immunity of the former Minister of Transport.
In parallel, the investigation against Begoña Gómez was expanded and magistrate Juan Carlos Peinado accused her of two new crimesprofessional intrusion and misappropriation, for the alleged irregularities in the extraordinary professorship and the master’s degree that he co-directed at the Complutense University. The Government and Gómez’s defense placed their hopes in the resolution of the Provincial Court of Madrid on the appeals that requested the closure of the investigation. But the magistrates endorsed the investigation of his partner and refused to close the case.
Corruption cases have not been the only ones that have affected the Government. Your State Attorney General, Alvaro Garcia Ortizhas been the first leader of the Public Ministry charged in a criminal case throughout the democratic stage. The Supreme Court is investigating him for his alleged participation in the email leak from the couple of the Madrid president, Isabel Diaz Ayusoin which his lawyer offered the Prosecutor’s Office a conformity agreement for the recognition of two tax crimes. The UCO, for the moment, has not found evidence of its involvement in the leak to the media.
The four legal cases remain open and a year of 2025 is assumedagain, high voltage for the Executive of Pedro Sánchez.
