Monday, May 25th 2026 - 01:06 UTC
The exchange concluded with a characterization of the former Spanish prime minister as “pro-Sánchez” and “pro-Maduro,” and with the phrase “the end justifies the means”
The Spanish National Police's Economic and Tax Crime Unit (UDEF) considers that former Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero may have exercised “non-visible leadership” in an alleged influence network that facilitated the EUR 53 million bailout of airline Plus Ultra during the covid-19 pandemic. The report, comprising more than 300 pages and submitted to National Court judge José Luis Calama, was disclosed on Saturday by the outlet Infobae España and forms part of the judicial file investigating the maneuvers to obtain the public aid from the State Industrial Holdings Company (SEPI) in 2021.
The police document cites conversations extracted from the phone of Rodolfo Reyes, majority shareholder of Plus Ultra, in collaboration with US authorities. In an exchange dated 30 March 2020, Reyes and airline president Julio Martínez Sola debated how to “move the political strings” to secure financing. Reyes suggested that “Delcy” —in reference to Delcy Rodríguez, then Vice President of Venezuela and now acting president of the country— “call Ábalos,” referring to then-Transport Minister José Luis Ábalos. Martínez Sola then proposed an alternative route: “Or someone with Zapatero.” The exchange concluded with a characterization of the former Spanish prime minister as “pro-Sánchez” and “pro-Maduro,” and with the phrase “the end justifies the means.”
