Judge implicates daughters of Zapatero and his secretary in Plus Ultra case
The National Court has summoned the two daughters of former government president José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero and his personal secretary as investigated persons in the proceedings concerning the bailout of airline Plus Ultra.
Judge implicates daughters of Zapatero and his secretary in Plus Ultra case
The National Court has widened the investigation into the Plus Ultra case with the implication of three new persons linked to the circle of former government president José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero. Judge José Luis Calama has agreed to summon Alba and Laura Rodríguez Espinosa, descendants of the former president, and Gertrudis Alcázar, who served as personal secretary during his time in office.
The measure responds to a request submitted by the Anti-Corruption Prosecution, to which the private prosecution brought by the PP had previously adhered. The judicial order does not specify the criminal offences attributed to the three women nor does it establish a schedule for their appearances.
The case investigates the conditions under which the injection of public funds into airline Plus Ultra took place. Days earlier, Zapatero himself had appeared at the judicial headquarters in the capacity of an investigated person. According to assessments by the conservative party, that statement failed to clarify the controversial aspects, but instead reinforced them.
Borja Sémper, national spokesman for the PP, stated that the procedural situation of the daughters of the former head of government would reflect on the figure of their father. He stressed that the suspicions affecting Zapatero have already extended to his closest circle, both family and professional. Sémper criticised that the former president promised to provide clarifications through a video, a commitment that, according to his words, has not been fulfilled, thus giving the situation notable political significance.
From the PP's perspective, the former president maintained his status as a suspect before and after giving his statement, a circumstance that generates concern in socialist ranks. Sémper justified his party's stance, which opted not to call for restrictive measures on Zapatero's freedom, in contrast to what other prosecutions did. He defended that the objective should be to shed light on the facts with rigour, without resorting to media gestures.
Source: El Mundo
Source: El Mundo