The Supreme Court sends former minister Ábalos and Koldo García to prison due to an “extreme” risk of flight

Madrid / BarcelonaEight days after the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office asked for 24 years in prison According to the judge, José Luis Ábalos has been remanded in custody without bail because he considers the risk of flight to be "extreme," "maximum," and "intense." The former Minister of Transport and former Secretary of Organization of the PSOE (Spanish Socialist Workers' Party) He is one step away from the dock. for the purchase of face masks during the pandemic, and although Leopoldo Puente rejected it in June and October, he now believes that the proximity to the trial does justify his imprisonment. Furthermore, the magistrate has also ordered pretrial detention for Koldo García, who was an advisor to Ábalos at the ministry and for whom the public prosecutor is requesting 19 and a half years in prison. He made this decision after, for the first time, the Public Prosecutor's Office joined the private prosecutions, led by the PP (People's Party), in requesting provisional detention. Both will spend the night in Soto del Real prison, the same prison from which... Santos Cerdán left Last Wednesday, after 142 days. Following the announcement of the decision, Ábalos launched an attack against Pedro Sánchez and hinted in an interview that The World that Begoña Gómez – Pedro Sánchez's wife – influenced the Air Europa bailout. Alberto Núñez Feijóo, from the People's Party (PP), has called for a rally on Sunday in Madrid to protest "against the corrupt and all those who support them."

How does the judge justify sending him to prison now? He considers pretrial detention to be "the only possible instrument" to "rationally ensure the swift holding" of the trial, given that there are "numerous rational indications" of criminality involving "several serious crimes," that the investigation has concluded, that the Public Prosecutor's Office and the private prosecutors are seeking prison sentences "soon," and that the future sentence will not be subject to appeal. Furthermore, Leopoldo Puente argues that there is "considerable evidence" that Ábalos may have "received and handled significant amounts of cash" and has "more than evident" international contacts, so it can be "reasonably inferred" that he could have "sufficient financial resources to undertake and sustain an escape." Ábalos and Koldo are being investigated for the possible crimes of membership in a criminal organization, bribery, embezzlement, influence peddling, and insider trading.

What have Ábalos and Koldo defended?

During the brief hearings, both Ábalos, who was "broken and pale," and Koldo, who was "more composed," spoke to say that they would not "go anywhere," according to legal sources speaking to ARA. Furthermore, their lawyers argued that they could have fled during the last seven days—since the judge summoned them for today's hearing—and that, instead, they had not. Ábalos's lawyer also maintained that he is divorced and has visitation rights with his minor son, even though the judge believes this is a "personal circumstance" that "does not dispel" the risk of flight. "We all have the right to learn little by little," Koldo reportedly said. His lawyer also requested that the case be returned to the National Court and argued that her client has a daughter and should "take her mother out for walks." For his part, prosecutor Alejandro Luzón recalled that Ábalos's "membership" in the Spanish government was what "allowed" him to commit the alleged crimes and argued that "no branch of government has the right to evade prosecution." "That's why justice is represented by a blindfold," he added.

Pedro Sánchez's former right-hand man arrived at the Supreme Court in a white car, carrying a leather backpack, shortly after nine in the morning. Later, it was Koldo García's turn; he arrived with a backpack containing "comfortable" clothing so as "not to cause" problems for the staff, and Velcro shoes to avoid laces. His appearanceIt was postponed for an hour and a half after his lawyer demanded his presence, arguing that he had to go to the National Court, where Víctor de Aldama, the alleged fixer in the scheme, was testifying at the same time, following the Civil Guard report that indicated that in 2020 could have influenced Regarding the Canary Islands government of Ángel Víctor Torres, through Koldo. Upon leaving, Aldama himself asserted that the now-minister "must be worried."

Feijóo calls for a rally on Sunday in Madrid

Following the imprisonment of Ábalos and Koldo, the leader of the PP, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, has increased the pressure on Pedro Sánchez. "When all those who helped him rise to power end up in prison, he should leave the Moncloa Palace," he stated, adding that Sánchez "is not a man surrounded by rotten apples," but rather that he is the "rotten apple." For this reason, he has called for a demonstration this Sunday at noon in Madrid to "protest against the corrupt." This gathering should not be for the "benefit of any party," but rather in "defense of Spain."

Meanwhile, the PSOE continues to distance itself. Socialist sources downplay the provisional detention of the former number three in the party, saying it is "just another step" in a legal process that has their "full" "respect." "It's time for justice. Faced with any hint of corruption, the PSOE acts with zero tolerance, transparency, and decisive measures," they insist from Ferraz (the PSOE headquarters). For its part, the Sumar coalition's co-coordinator, Lara Hernández, has demanded that "everything that needs to be investigated be investigated" and that "whoever is responsible should fall, whoever they may be."

Ábalos and Koldo take aim at the Spanish government

From inside the Supreme Court, before the decision was announced, Ábalos offered his initial reaction on Cadena SER radio. He considers the Prosecutor's request "incomprehensible" and a "political" decision to "obtain a cooperative statement." Furthermore, Ábalos continued his attacks on the Moncloa Palace, as he had already done throughout the week. With the prison sentence now decreed, The World The newspaper has published statements from the former Minister of Transport in which he asserted that investigating Air Europa "would be opening Pandora's box" because it could "lead to Begoña [Gómez]," the wife of the Spanish president. In any case, two weeks ago the Madrid Provincial Court revoked for lack of grounds A request from Judge Juan Carlos Peinado at the UCO (Central Operative Unit of the Civil Guard) to investigate Gómez on this matter. For his part, Koldo has spoken in OK Dailywhere he claimed to have heard Sánchez say that his father-in-law "contributed €100,000" to the PSOE primaries.

This isn't the first attack. On Wednesday, through X, Ábalos asserted that "eyewitnesses" told him about an alleged meeting between Pedro Sánchez, Santos Cerdán, and Arnaldo Otegi on the eve of the 2018 no-confidence vote. A meeting that the participants denied. He also had to deal with Yolanda Díaz: he insinuated in a message to X that the Second Vice President of the Spanish government used the official residence for third parties. Accusations that Díaz herself has rejected.