Justice scrutinizes Zapatero for his relationship with Maduro

MadridThe National Court has opened a new legal front in the inner circle of Pedro Sánchez and will investigate for the first time the role of former Spanish President José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero in Venezuela. Four days after Hazte Oír filed a lawsuit against him for the crimes of belonging to a criminal organization, money laundering, and drug trafficking, Judge Antonio Piña considers that the reported events have "characteristics that suggest the possible existence" of a criminal offense. However, according to the court order accessed by ARA, given that the "nature and circumstances" of the events are still "undetermined," he has decided to initiate the preliminary proceedings that are "essential" to see if the investigation has merit. Before proceeding, he is asking the Public Prosecutor's Office whether the National Court has jurisdiction to do so.

Hazte Oír believes that the former Spanish president became a "necessary collaborator" in all the activities carried out by Nicolás Maduro, the former president of Venezuela. He was captured by the United States a week ago and that He will be tried in New YorkThe far-right group also cites "crimes prosecuted by US authorities and courts," and argues that Spain's "traditional" status as one of the "main entry points" for cocaine into Europe "reinforces the legitimate interest" of the state in investigating it. The group emphasizes Zapatero's "long-standing, direct, and privileged" relationship with Maduro, whom they present as the "principal head of an international criminal organization dedicated to drug trafficking," and the "trust, cooperation, and affinity" the former Spanish president had with the regime's "decision-making circles." The opening of this criminal case, which adds to the ongoing legal siege surrounding Pedro Sánchez, comes after Zapatero was singled out—primarily by the right wing—in the investigation into the Plus Ultra bailout: the former Spanish president is friend of Julio Martínez MartínezThe businessman who was arrested, and former minister José Luis Ábalos denounced that Zapatero pressured him to facilitate the public aid the airline received. Furthermore, his former advisor Koldo García went so far as to claim—based on his "understanding" and without providing any evidence—that Zapatero "became a millionaire through business dealings in Venezuela." A year ago, there was a first attempt to criminally investigate Zapatero. Six Venezuelan citizens filed a lawsuit against him for crimes against humanity, torture, and offenses against moral integrity due to his "close ties" with the Venezuelan leadership. However, the National Court dismissed the case because it was based solely on journalistic reports and provided "no objective data" linking him to the events, "no indication" that he was aware of them, and "no element" that reasonably supported "its plausibility."

"Extraordinary criminal gravity"

Now, Hazte Oír believes that Zapatero's "personal access" to the highest levels of Venezuelan power, his "active involvement in high-risk financial operations," and his "constant presence" as a "legitimizing figure" of the regime give rise to a "relational network of extraordinary criminal gravity." It also emphasizes the "significant personal proximity" of the former Spanish Prime Minister to Delcy Rodríguez, who was Maduro's right-hand woman and a week ago swore the oath of office as the new president of Venezuela.

The far-right association wants the UDEF – the Economic and Fiscal Crime Unit – to investigate Zapatero's assets and bank accounts, and for SEPBLAC – the Executive Service of the Commission for the Prevention of Money Laundering and Monetary Offenses – to report on "suspicious transactions." Why? The complaint refers to a news article published by Vox Populi to assert that the real estate holdings of Zapatero's family "have increased in a suspiciously high manner" since he left La Moncloa and have reached levels "far above" what would be expected from "ordinary economic growth." This increase in assets, moreover, "coincides" with the "beginning and intensification" of his activity as a "political interlocutor and international mediator" for the Venezuelan regime. It adds that the company his daughters share also experienced "significant economic growth."

The PP celebrates the first step

After the news broke, the People's Party (PP) was quick to seize on social media and celebrate the investigation into the "links between the Sánchez administration and Venezuela." The party's spokesperson in Congress, Ester Muñoz, denounced "everything surrounding" the former Spanish president as "sinister and murky." Other PP leaders echoed this sentiment: Alma Ezcurra expressed confidence that the judges would "uncover everything," Elías Bendodo believed the pieces were "starting to fall into place," and Carmen Fúnez maintained that Spain "doesn't deserve" former presidents who "act as whitewashers." Meanwhile, from the Spanish government, Minister Félix Bolaños deemed the lawsuit "absurd," framing it as part of a "cycle of lies" and attributing it to a "persecution" against someone with a "well-known history of fighting for human rights and democracy."