Zapatero testifies before Judge Calama in Plus Ultra case and Ferraz jewels investigation
The former president Rodríguez Zapatero appeared before the National Court as an accused in corruption, tax evasion and smuggling cases. He denied any connection with Plus Ultra.
Zapatero denies before judge any connection with Plus Ultra and airline rescue
Former Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero appeared on Wednesday before Judge José Luis Calama of the National Court, becoming the first president of Spanish democracy investigated for corruption. According to ABC, the summons includes charges for corruption offences, tax evasion and smuggling, the latter two added following the discovery of jewels valued at €1,300,000 in his office on Calle Ferraz.
Zapatero arrived at the National Court headquarters ten minutes before the time set for his testimony, entering through the main entrance for security reasons and without making any statements to the media. Several people accosted him from the street as he got out of the vehicle.
"Never had any kind of relationship with Plus Ultra"
During his testimony, the former president responded only to questions from the judge and his own defence, refusing to answer the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor. He stated that "never had any kind of relationship with Plus Ultra", that he "was unaware" of the clients of Análisis Relevante and that he "absolutely had not" favoured the airline's rescue.
Despite his defence's attempts to exclude questions about the jewels found in his safe from the summons, Judge Calama rejected that request. His argument was that, although the two new offences were formally attributed to him the previous Friday, the information on which they were based had been known since the lifting of the summary's secrecy.
Key messages and evidence on rescue negotiations
Among the case documentation are messages involving Julio Martínez Sola and shareholder Rodolfo Reyes Rojas. These texts, according to ABC, provide evidence of the efforts to save the airline and include references to "Zapatero, shorty, Sánchez, Ábalos. New little friends".
Hazte Oír stages protest in the vicinity
In the surroundings of the National Court, at Plaza Villa de París, the organisation Hazte Oír deployed a banner, an orchestra and a truck with an LED screen. Its lawyers explained that they had asked the PP's lawyer—who represents the unified popular accusations—to request provisional detention for Zapatero and the withdrawal of his passport. They also stated they had asked the prosecutor to implicate the former president's daughters.
The organisation regretted that the judge had unified the accusations in the PP's representation, considering that party has "political interests and can use the case as a wish list to exchange with the PSOE".
Congress, parallel setting
At the same time that testimony was taking place at the National Court, Congress held a control session with the Government, in which Zapatero's name was mentioned on several occasions.
PP deputy Elías Bendodo asked Justice Minister Félix Bolaños whether he continued defending the former president and when he intended to suspend his party membership. Bolaños replied in agreement with deputy Ester Muñoz that "the sewer did not work", adding that this was because "with this Government there are no interferences in institutions". He did not pronounce directly on a possible suspension of Zapatero's party membership, although he alluded to the fact that "Justice will determine whether there are responsibilities".
In another intervention, during a question directed at vice-president Yolanda Díaz, the former president was described by a PP parliamentarian as the "president who brings shame on Spain".
PP deputy Juan Bravo addressed the matter from his position as "Tax Inspector", but the vice-president avoided the question and stuck to the content scheduled for that intervention. Bravo reproached him that "silence means consent".
Several ministers, including Pedro Sánchez, Carlos Cuerpo, Félix Bolaños and Fernando Grande-Marlaska, entered the chamber without responding to journalists' questions about Zapatero.
Judge rejected mobile phones being present in the courtroom
During the appearance, the magistrate ordered the lawyers present in the courtroom to hand over their mobile phones whilst the testimony was taking place.
Source: ABC