The Government has reacted to the confessions of Julio Martínez, alleged front man for José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, and the directors of Plus Ultra, through spokesperson Elma Sáiz who, in addition to assuring that the Executive still considers Zapatero “innocent”, has insisted that the rescue concession file for the airline was endorsed by SEPI and reviewed by Madrid court number 15, by the European Commission and by the Court of Auditors. “The action of the Government of Spain in granting that rescue was correct,” she said.
The Executive’s spokesperson did not want to comment on “defense strategies, statements, or versions in court” but did emphasize that the Government “continues to defend the presumption of innocence of President Zapatero.” This is not actually new because any accused person maintains the presumption of innocence until convicted; however, the spokesperson went a step further and subsequently assured that the Government “continues to believe in the innocence of the former president” and, consequently, maintains its support for him.
Saiz, however, avoided commenting on Zapatero’s “credibility,” and neither did the second vice-president, Yolanda Díaz, who nevertheless insisted that the former president “must give explanations.” “I never comment on judicial cases,” Díaz assured before asking to “let justice work.”
On the contrary, the Popular Party already directly points to the responsibility of the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, in the alleged influence peddling activated by José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero to secure a 53 million euro rescue for the company Plus Ultra in exchange for a commission that would amount to 1% of the loan granted to the airline.
The populars, after learning of the confession letters addressed to Judge José Luis Calama, from both Julio Martínez, friend and alleged front man for Zapatero, and Julio Martínez Sola, owner of Plus Ultra, claim to have very few doubts about Sánchez’s connection to the case. Their spokesperson in Congress, Ester Muñoz, for whom “talking about the corruption of the socialists has become commonplace,” finds it “evident” that Zapatero “lied” both in the video he recorded after his indictment became known and, before that, in his appearance before the Senate’s investigative committee. On both occasions, the former president denied everything: he claimed to have had no role in the Plus Ultra rescue and tried to justify the amounts received from the company Análisis Relevante as payments for his consulting services.
However, now, the PP stresses, both Julio Martínez and the Plus Ultra leadership “agree that Zapatero collected 1% of the airline’s rescue.” A rescue that, according to Ester Muñoz, was achieved “by mediating with the Government of Spain and the Government of Venezuela.” In both instances, the spokesperson adds, “Zapatero had partners: Delcy Rodríguez, in Caracas, and Pedro Sánchez, in Madrid.”
Ester Muñoz voices her party’s leadership when she states that “this scam could take them both down.” “The seriousness of the confessions,” the popular politician added in a press conference, “is that they point to La Moncloa.” In her opinion, “Zapatero, Moncloa, and the PSOE have been lying to Spaniards for weeks, and they do so because they have no other option.”
The spokesperson notes in the two confession letters sent to Judge Calama a resounding denial of what the former President of the Government had stated until now: denying that the president of Plus Ultra asked him for help and denying having done anything for the rescue.
And regarding the possibility that the PSOE and the Government might embark on a new strategy of disassociating themselves from Zapatero, whom they have until now considered one of their main political references, Muñoz deems it impossible: “Zapatero and Sánchez are the same, they have always worked in the same team, and the rescue [of Plus Ultra] could not have been done if someone hadn’t said ‘yes’ to Zapatero, and that ‘yes’ was given by the Government.”
“The two confessions,” Muñoz emphasized, “point to La Moncloa. There is no lawfare, no hoaxes, no pseudo-media, no opposition conspiracies.” The PP spokesperson in Congress anticipated those who might retort that “there is no evidence,” pointing out that Judge Calama’s investigation of the case “is just beginning” and, consequently, “it is very premature to predict” the outcome, but, she added, what there are are “many indications” and with “sufficient indications many people have ended up convicted.”
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