One of the missions of the Supreme Court in the first three days of the trial against José Luis Ábalos has been to reconstruct the alleged cronyism of two women close to the then Minister of Transport and former organization secretary of the PSOE. They are Jessica Rodríguez, who was his partner for a year and a half; and Claudia Montes, with whom he maintained a "virtual" relationship. The first has admitted that she was receiving payment without going to work – a total of 44,000 euros at Ineco and Tragsatec–. The second woman claims that she did fulfill her duties at Logirail, although others dispute this. Amidst contradictions and labor disputes, several witnesses have tried to shed light on this this week at the high court. "I had a contract, but I wasn't actively working," Jessica Rodríguez acknowledged on Tuesday. Marino Turiel, José Luis Ábalos' lawyer, suspects there is a hidden agreement between her and Víctor de Aldama: "It is very clear that there is a pact and an agreement".

A few days ago, King Juan Carlos, the emeritus, was applauded and cheered by the audience in a bullring, who, with signs of enthusiasm, asked him to return. To return to Spain, of course, but also to return to the position of power and preeminence that, according to these people, he deserves. Juan Carlos I, it is worth remembering, is an unelected head of state who, over forty years of reign, defrauded billions to the Treasury of the very state over which he reigned, and who also used the institutions and powers of the state (and, naturally, the public treasury) for his personal interests, ranging from erotic adventures to business dealings with oil sheikhs who have finally taken him in under the auspices of a dictatorship. Many, however, are still supporters of Juan Carlos convinced that the monarch lives in forced exile, a victim of his son Felipe's treacherous understanding with the enemies of the homeland, etc.I mention this because, in Spain, corruption is so deeply rooted within the very architecture of the state that it is an inseparable part of it. From the king downwards, literally: the judiciary, the army, the police forces. Of course, also elected governments, whether central, regional, or municipal. And political parties, naturally. One should never forget the lush jungle of corrupters, which includes everything from construction, energy, and technology companies to media outlets, and, needless to say, banks.Now, the PP and the PSOE are facing, in parallel, trials for corruption cases: the corrosive Kitchen plot, concerning the Popular Party, and the shabby masquerade case, or Koldo case, or Ábalos or Cerdán (it is referred to in all these ways) concerning the Socialists. The coincidence of these two judicial proceedings can be considered the start of the election campaign for the upcoming general elections. Therefore, we will see and hear the leaders, and sympathetic journalists and media, exchanging insults and reproaches in the childish and poisoned tone that Spanish politics has adopted for some time, in a spectacle that can only be endured on the most cheerful days.However, we should not be mistaken. Even in corruption there are classes, and in the Spanish state, the one in charge of this matter is and always will be the Popular Party. The corrupt dealings of the socialists and other parties can amount to considerable mire, but no other party, not even the PSOE, can afford to organize patriotic police forces or to blow up banks in Andorra just to destroy political enemies, both external and internal. This is for one reason: as in the film Tomorrow is Another Day, the other parties are contingent, while the PP is necessary. Necessary for the continuity of the homeland, as understood by the aforementioned institutions and companies. Necessary to maintain a balance of power in Spain, as understood by, for example, all those who applauded Juan Carlos in the bullring.

"I have never had any connection with Plus Ultra, nor did anyone ask me for anything. I did nothing and had no interest in the bailout." José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero testified for four hours before the Senate's Koldo case investigation committee. called by the PP at the start of the election campaign in Castile and León to talk, primarily, about the Plus Ultra bailout. A case that is under investigation for alleged money laundering – it is questioned whether part of the bailout could have been used to launder money from corruption in Venezuela – and which the Popular Party has long considered highly credible.

Under investigation for alleged corruption in the Supreme Court, Santos Cerdán presented his defense strategy in the Senate on Wednesday. This comes amid a crisis within the Spanish government. cases piling up in the courtsand a month later to be released on bail from prisonThe former number three of the PSOE (Spanish Socialist Workers' Party) appeared before the Koldo case committee in the Senate to once again assert his innocence. Although he invoked his right to remain silent regarding the specific charges against him, he claimed to be the victim of a "persecution worthy of the Inquisition" and linked the investigation to his role in the amnesty law agreement. "I will defend myself; let it be clear, I am innocent, I am not corrupt, and sooner or later you will be able to verify this," he said in an initial statement read from a laptop. The former socialist leader, who spoke with his lawyer, Jacobo Teijelo, before entering the courtroom, denounced the "unfair trial" he has been subjected to, claiming that "no specific crime is being investigated." And in a subsequent response to the senator from the Junts per Catalunya party, Eduard Pujol, he stated that the case against him "would not have exploded" as it did if he hadn't led the negotiations with Junts for Pedro Sánchez's investiture, which culminated in the Brussels agreement. "There is a before and after the photo with Puigdemont [...] Everything changed after that photo," he said.

Pedro Sánchez's government is increasingly dependent on the courts. Anxiety is spreading among the Socialist ranks, especially after a week that has brought two new developments: five arrests These events have brought to light two new cases—which remain secret—and a Civil Guard report that once again implicates José Luis Ábalos. These are ongoing investigations into issues that strike at the heart of the Spanish president's political roadmap and the origins of his rise to power. Of the five arrested, the National Court has released former Socialist Party member Leire Díez, Vicente Fernández Guerrero, former president of SEPI (State Holding Company for Industrial Participations), and Basque businessman Antxon Alonso, owner of the company Servinabar and a friend of Santos Cerdán, former PSOE (Spanish Socialist Workers' Party) organizational secretary. All five were released with precautionary measures (passport confiscation and periodic court appearances) after the prosecution did not request their imprisonment.

A reshuffle is underway at the Central Operational Unit (UCO) of the Civil Guard, instigated by the Spanish government. The Council of Ministers will approve tomorrow the promotion of Colonel Rafael Yuste Arenes to Brigadier General, which will entail his departure as head of the UCO, according to reports. Eldiario.es and government sources confirm to ARA. The UCO is the specialized unit that, among other things, is participating in the investigation of the legal cases surrounding Pedro Sánchez – for example, prepared the report which led to the indictment of Santos Cerdán or accredited that the Attorney General deleted the messages from his mobile phone the day the Supreme Court indicted him—. Rafael Yuste had been in charge of the UCO for two and a half years—he arrived in June 2023 replacing Alfonso López Malo—and has now been promoted after passing the course and ranking first in his class in the evaluation.

The 180 meters separating the Supreme Court from the National Court have never seemed so short. Last Thursday, while José Luis Ábalos faced the possibility of being sent to prison by Leopoldo Puente in the case concerning the purchase of face masks – as It ended up happening—Víctor de Aldama testified before Ismael Moreno regarding contracts awarded by the Canary Islands government during the pandemic; an alleged corruption scheme that has led to multiple parallel investigations with interconnected links. So much so, that even the lawyers involved are still unclear about the number of ongoing cases and their scope. We're taking it one step at a time.

Something has happened again that has never happened before, which is that a sitting member of parliament goes to prison.

Supreme Court Justice Leopoldo Puente has summoned former minister José Luis Ábalos and his former advisor Koldo García to a hearing on Thursday, November 27, to decide whether to keep them free or remand them in custody. The judge will review the precautionary measures he has in place for the former Socialist Party (PSOE) minister and his advisor in the case concerning the alleged scheme to purchase face masks during the pandemic, after the private prosecutors and the public prosecutor requested a hearing to have them detained. The hearing comes just weeks after the judge himself warned of a "growing" flight risk as the trial "approaches" and the evidence in the case "strengthens." This Wednesday The Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office requested a 24-year prison sentence and a fine of almost 4 million euros for Ábalos.The prosecutor accuses him of five crimes: membership in a criminal organization, bribery, embezzlement, influence peddling, and insider trading. For Koldo, the request is for 19 years for the same crimes. Currently, both Ábalos and Koldo must appear in court every two weeks, their passports have been confiscated, and they are prohibited from leaving Spain.

The Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office is seeking a 24-year prison sentence and a fine of almost 4 million euros for José Luis Ábalos, former Minister of Transport and former Secretary of Organization of the PSOE, in the case concerning the purchase of masks during the pandemic. He is one step away from trial.In a 21-page document, Alejandro Luzón accuses him of five crimes: membership in a criminal organization, bribery, embezzlement, influence peddling, and insider trading. In a tweet on X, Ábalos denounced that "not only have each and every one of the pieces of evidence I have requested or access to the case file been rejected," but that "now, in a premeditated strategy of pressure, I am being subjected to an exaggerated demand for crimes and penalties."

After 142 days in Soto del Real prison, Santos Cerdán has been released on bail by order of the Supreme Court judge investigating him for alleged corruption. Upon his release, the former third-ranking member of the PSOE (Spanish Socialist Workers' Party) denounced the "lies" and "manipulations" that, he says, are being spread about him. "I trust that the truth will prevail and justice will be served," he declared outside the prison on Wednesday night. However, Judge Leopoldo Puente's decision does not represent an improvement in Cerdán's legal situation, but quite the opposite. The judge investigating the case of alleged illegal commissions in public works contracts, who until now had justified keeping him imprisoned due to the risk of evidence tampering, ruled on Wednesday that he had gathered sufficient evidence to ensure that the release of the former PSOE leader would no longer compromise the investigation. The decision comes just one day after... a new report from the Central Operational Unit (UCO) of the Civil Guard came to light, in which investigators place Cerdán as "the link" between the Spanish government and Acciona, the construction company at the epicenter of the alleged scheme.

The judge at the National Court presiding over the Koldo García case, Ismael Moreno, has decided to open a separate investigation into cash payments made by the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) to former Transport Minister José Luis Ábalos and his advisor Koldo García. This decision comes after the judge received a ruling from Supreme Court Justice Leopoldo Puente, requesting the National Court to investigate these payments, which the party claims were used to cover justified expenses.

The People's Party (PP) long ago decided to sacrifice the Senate's value as a chamber of territorial representation and a second reading body, turning it into a sounding board for their opposition to Pedro Sánchez. That's why they thought it was a good idea to summon the Spanish Prime Minister to testify before a commission on the Koldo case in a room they completely control. But once again, and this has happened several times now, the PP has failed, and Pedro Sánchez has emerged unscathed from the lamentable spectacle that unfolded in the Senate.

For the second day in a row, the Supreme Court followed a virtually identical script. After José Luis Ábalos appeared yesterday, this Thursday it was Koldo García's turn. Just as the former Minister of Transport did, his former advisor refused to testify, criticizing Leopoldo Puente, the judge in charge of the alleged corruption case at the high court, who opted to release him. The Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office, as was the case with Ábalos, has not requested his imprisonment, even though it sees a certain risk of flight, and the Popular Party (PP) prosecutors, led by the People's Party (PP), have again unsuccessfully requested provisional detention without bail. Thus, Koldo has also avoided prison and is leaving the Supreme Court with the same precautionary measures that were being applied to him: revocation of his passport and biweekly appearances in court. Thus, the former number three of the PSOE (Spanish Socialist Workers' Party), Santos Cerdán, is the only suspect in the case who is incarcerated.

A new report by the UCO (Central University of Madrid) on the assets of José Luis Ábalos has once again ignited the political climate in Madrid, but it doesn't really clarify the true scope of a corruption case that, on paper, could threaten the continuity of Pedro Sánchez's government. In this report, the Civil Guard reveals that Ábalos gave his advisor, Koldo García, almost daily instructions to pay from his bank accounts for expenses that were actually his own. For example, gifts for his lovers, his son's pension, and personal trips. In total, these expenses add up to 95,000 euros, which the Civil Guard suspects Koldo paid with money of dubious origin, but the report does not clarify this.

José Luis Ábalos's ex-wife, Carolina Perles, reported tonight the "threats" she claims she received from Koldo García when he was an advisor to the former Minister of Transport. In an interview on Telecinco, Perles described Koldo as a "life saver" and explains that he marked a "turning point" in her life. "He behaved very hostilely toward me," she states. The then advisor, now indicted along with Ábalos for allegedly taking illegal kickbacks, was "hooked up" by the minister all day long with the goal of "keeping him under control at all times," according to the woman, who believes that García acted as a "mole" for Santos Cerdán, the former number three of the PSOE (Spanish Socialist Workers' Party) also under investigation in the alleged case.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez emerged alive from the Congress of Deputies on Wednesday. None of the investiture partners, not even Podemos, the most critical party, has asked him to call elections. Beyond their confidence in the package of measures presented to combat corruption, none of the partners are now advocating for an election that would pave the way for a PP-Vox government. Thus, they are granting him a margin of trust. However, they all demand that this debate be a turning point and that he accelerate the fulfillment of the commitments made.

Pedro Sánchez is reaching the midpoint of his term at the worst possible moment, besieged by corruption cases and without having approved a budget, and with an opposition that is soaring in the polls. In this situation, if only one of the groups that voted for his investiture were to call for elections or a vote of confidence, the term would be over. But no one has done so. Not even Junts, which had already used the bogeyman of the vote of confidence to pressure the government in the past. On the contrary, the partners seem to have embraced what we might call the "Turull doctrine," that is, trying to take advantage of Sánchez's weakness, as the Junts secretary general explained, to secure compliance with the commitments of the term. In other words, the message to Sánchez is: either accelerate or fold.

The National Court has taken action and summoned former Adif president Isabel Pardo de Vera and former Director General of Highways Javier Herrero as suspects in the Koldo case. They are due to testify on July 21 at 11:00 a.m. after the Supreme Court found evidence of their involvement in the alleged scheme of irregular awarding contracts, according to a ruling by Judge Ismael Moreno.

In his petition demanding Santos Cerdán's release, his lawyer, Benet Salellas, outlines a line of defense that is not typical in corruption cases and which, in fact, closely resembles that followed by most of those convicted in the Proceso (Trial), or, more precisely, that followed against Latori Borràs, and that followed Laura Borràs, focusing on presenting their case as a case of political persecution. The manual that Salellas applies, and which so far has not yielded a satisfactory result for his client, is to claim that there is a "general case" whose objective is "to investigate to see if solid evidence emerges linking him to any criminal activity."