"We'll fuck even if we have to pay a little": the messages that have led to Zapatero's indictment
The investigated boast that the former Spanish president was "behind" their successes and presented him as their "contact"
MadridJudge José Luis Calama has imputed José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero because he believes he was the "decisional and strategic core" of a "network" that exerted influence. "His leadership is not manifested formally or publicly, but through his capacity for direction, coordination, and supervision, avoiding direct execution of the most compromised dealings as much as possible," says the order to which ARA has had access. He stresses that this role "is deduced" from "multiple evidences" and places special emphasis on some of the conversations reflected in the summary (in which Zapatero does not directly participate).
One of those cited by the judge is from March 2020. Rodolfo Reyes –Venezuelan and former counselor of Plus Ultra– contacts Ramón Gordils –who was Vice Minister of Economy of Venezuela and ambassador to Norway– to explore access to Zapatero: "Do you think we can ask Zapatero for help… Plus Ultra political lobby issue. Public aid and/or financing," says Reyes. "Follow the formal route. And I'll look for a way to reach ZP," replies Gordils. Immediately after, Reyes conveys the conversation to Julio Martínez Sola –president of Plus Ultra– and he acknowledges the possibility of paying to achieve it: "As a friend says, we'll fuck even if we have to pay a little bit."
July 2020: "Our comrade Zapatero"
On July 22, 2020, the "network" managed to arrange a meeting at the Ministry of Transport. High-ranking officials from the ministry and executives from Plus Ultra attended. After the meeting, Rodolfo Reyes celebrates: "Our buddy Zapatero behind". On September 9 - when the judge does not identify who is speaking - there is another conversation in which they boast that the people from Gowair Vacation Airlines are aware of the role of the former Spanish president: "They know everything we do, even that Zapa is our contact". And on January 29, 2021, in a conversation with no defined interlocutors, they also boast about his intervention: "Tomorrow Zapatero intervenes directly. He will try to get us the permits without the Spanish embassy having to intervene".
April 2020: "Eleven minutes with Zapatero"
Reyes communicated to Gordils on April 30, 2020, that Martínez Sola had spoken with the former president: "Julio has spoken with ZP. 11 minutes. He has explained everything to him. […] Later, when you can, ask him". "Don't worry... we'll find out," Gordils replies.
May 2020: "They get paid if they move"
The judge emphasizes that Plus Ultra's directors were "fully aware" of the "network's operation" and that the economic consideration was "conditional" on the effectiveness of the influences. On May 26, 2020, for example, Reyes asks Roberto Roselli how Zapatero's negotiations with Banco Sabadell are going to obtain an ICO loan. After Roselli tells him that it is being managed, Reyes is very illustrative: "They get paid if they move." Three months later, on August 25, Roselli conveys to Reyes the message that had been passed on to Julio Martínez Martínez: "We have no problem paying whoever pulls the strings."
July 2020: "Group Zapatero has it as of this morning"
On July 4, 2020, the day after the Spanish government created the Business Support Fund, there was a conversation between Reyes and Martínez Sola. The president of Plus Ultra informs him that the alleged scheme would already be working on it and that three days later Roselli, Martínez Martínez and himself would have lunch: "Grup Zapatero has it as of this morning. They were already on it (they say)".
August 2020: "If you want to eat, move our file within SEPI"
It also reviews a group conversation from August 21, 2020. Roselli says Zapatero's team must speed up the rescue: "At 7:30 PM we will speak with him [Martínez Martínez] and we will tell him clearly. That if he wants to eat, he should move the file within SEPI." "Let them approve it and we'll give him the 44,000. Let's make a lifetime contract with Indra. But after you have the rials [Iran's currency]," Reyes replied. "We will pay them if they give us the aid," he had previously proposed.
And Alejandro Delgado –Venezuelan and business director at Plus Ultra– linked the aid and payment: "Once the aid arrives, we will pay him. [...] If he assures it, we will give him double when the money falls." The judge points out, precisely, that this last message "directly links the payment to the granting of public aid" and justifies that the conversations after these contacts "do not respond" to "real services," but are "mere documentary cover."
September 2020: "Let Zapatero speak with someone at SEPI"
On September 16, 2020, Roselli sent an audio to Reyes in which he expressed his "concern" upon seeing that the bailout was "completely stalled" because SEPI "doesn't have people to review files". And he proposed a solution: "Tomorrow we will make another call with the man and we will pressure him to give us a meeting, at least here within SEPI, whatever it may be. But I don't know if it will be good for them to give him a technical touch from above or for Zapatero to speak with someone at SEPI".
Six days later, Martínez Sola warned Reyes that the next day he would see Martínez Martínez and would ask him for the former Spanish president to intervene: "I'm already giving him the third degree. What I want is for them to go and talk to SEPI, him or Zapatero, and get out of them, even if it's verbal, that they grant us the aid with 100% certainty. With that answer, they can look for a bank for the bridge loan". "We need this push", his interlocutor replied.
