The Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office and the Central Operational Unit (UCO) have initiated an investigation against former President José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, delving into alleged crimes of money laundering, illegal financing, and corruption. This latest chapter of the ‘Koldo Case’ reveals a supposed scheme that connected key figures of the PSOE with Nicolás Maduro’s regime, using public contracts and oil quotas as a means for political financing. The investigation gained momentum following confessions from intermediaries like Víctor de Aldama, who directly implicated Zapatero in a network that may have channeled €250 million towards the Socialist International.
Origins: From Energy Contracts to Masks
The origins of the scandal date back to 2005, when Zapatero, as President of the Spanish Government, formed ties with then-Venezuelan leader Hugo Chávez. These connections allowed Spanish companies like Duro Felguera to secure million-dollar contracts without public tenders. Years later, this same scheme of favors seems to have been repeated.
The plot expanded during the pandemic. In January 2020, Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez met in Madrid with José Luis Ábalos, then Minister. This meeting, known as ‘Delcygate’, was reportedly a turning point. Soon after, a company linked to Víctor de Aldama, an intermediary in the scheme, received €54 million in mask contracts. The urgency of the pandemic justified the awarding, although the quality of the materials raised questions.
The Confessions That Unraveled the Network
The investigation escalated in February 2024 with the arrest of Koldo García and another 20 individuals. From there, the pieces of the puzzle began to fit together. Intermediary Víctor de Aldama, now in prison, has been a key player. His testimony revealed that oil quotas from PDVSA, the Venezuelan state oil company, allegedly financed the PSOE and the Socialist International. De Aldama confessed that Ábalos, former Minister of Transport, received €1 million in commissions.
Now, the scrutiny is firmly on Zapatero. Documents and testimonies, such as those from Juan Carlos Márquez or Hugo “El Pollo” Carvajal, have rekindled suspicions about the former president’s mediation between Maduro and the PSOE. The UCO is actively gathering evidence of transfers and communications that could demonstrate that Venezuelan funds were diverted to offshore accounts, linking Zapatero to this intricate web of corruption.