Former Plus Ultra executives to declare before judge on illegal commission payment to Zapatero
The former president and former CEO of Plus Ultra will ratify their collaboration with the judiciary and confirm payment of a "bribe" equivalent to 1% of the 53 million euro state rescue.
Former Plus Ultra executives declare on illegal commission and Zapatero's role in rescue
The Plus Ultra case resumes its judicial course after the summer recess with two significant hearings. Julio Martínez Sola, former president of the airline, and Roberto Roselli, former CEO of the company, will declare before the investigating judge in the coming two days to confirm their willingness to cooperate with the judiciary, following the steps taken by businessman Julio Martínez Martínez, known as 'Julito'. According to El Mundo, both defendants are expected to ratify the central role played by former Government President José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero in granting the state rescue and the payment of an illegal commission equivalent to 1% of the aid received.
Sources close to the former executives indicate that both Martínez Sola—who appears today—and Roselli—who will do so tomorrow—intend to answer questions from Judge Calama, prosecutor Elena Lorente from the Anti-Corruption Office and their respective lawyers.
The call from a hidden number and 'Julito's' intermediation
According to information obtained by El Mundo, Martínez Sola will tell the National Court that on 30 April 2020 he received a call from a hidden number from Zapatero himself. In a conversation lasting approximately ten minutes, the then president of Plus Ultra explained to the former PSOE leader the airline's difficult financial situation and the need to access an ICO credit. According to this account, Zapatero replied that his intervention could be helpful and that he would carry out the necessary procedures, also indicating that from that moment onwards, communications would be channelled through a person of his trust: Martínez Martínez.
Both former executives will explain that initially they believed Zapatero's intervention would have no financial cost whatsoever. Subsequently they understood that it did. However, they claim to be unaware of the internal agreements that 'Julito' and the former Government president may have reached regarding the distribution of the commission money.
The company ultimately obtained 53 million euros in public aid approved by the Cabinet Council presided over by Pedro Sánchez.
Payments to three companies totalling 530,000 euros
The investigation by the National Court has traced in detail the destination of the 1% illegal commission from the rescue. According to identified payments, the money was distributed among several companies controlled by Julio Martínez Martínez: 249,000 euros paid to Análisis Relevante, 98,617.53 euros to Voli Analítica SL and 110,799.47 euros to IOT Domotic Europe SL.
The former executives will also detail that, although 'Julito' initially aspired to receive the full amount in cash up to the agreed 530,000 euros, he ultimately accepted that part of the payment be made in kind: business class tickets provided by the airline valued at approximately 69,000 euros.
The judge closes the door to annulling the procedure
These confessions are accompanied by a significant setback for the defence of former president Zapatero. Last Friday, Judge Calama rejected through a final ruling—against which no appeal is possible—the request to annul the procedure presented by the defence. Zapatero's lawyer, professor Víctor Moreno Catena, had argued violation of fundamental rights in an attempt to invalidate the investigation.
The ruling ruled out annulling the central milestones of the case: the assumption of competence by the National Court, the searches and seizures carried out, the blocking of bank accounts belonging to the Zapatero family and the opening of a separate section following the discovery of high-value jewellery.
Legal sources consulted by this newspaper indicate that the defensive strategy of the former president is seriously compromised both by the cooperation of other investigated parties with the judiciary and by the failure of the annulment route in which he had placed his expectations.
The seized jewellery, without explanation after months of silence
The case also accumulates another unresolved front for Zapatero. On 19 May, agents from the Udef seized jewellery valued at at least 1.3 million euros hidden in a safe in his official office. When he was summoned as a defendant before the National Court on 17 June, Zapatero refused to offer explanations to Judge Calama about the origin of those precious stones.
The silence has lasted for weeks. Although the former Government president set a deadline of ten days to provide an explanation, he has offered none to the judiciary to date. Investigators describe this silence as "extremely powerful evidence" against the defendant, who is currently unable to prove the lawful origin of the jewellery.
Zapatero, for his part, has categorically denied exercising any influence to obtain the state rescue of Plus Ultra.
Source: El Mundo