Audiencia Nacional judge José Luis Calama has issued a rogatory commission to the United States to authorize the use in trial of messages extracted from Rodolfo Reyes's phone. The data, obtained in 2021, arrived in Spain on 18 March 2026 and were key to charging former prime minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero with influence trafficking in the Plus Ultra case.
The ruling, dated last Friday, acknowledges that the material has already been used as an investigative element. The judge seeks to ensure it can be incorporated into the criminal process with full procedural effects and avoid future invalidations. Reyes's messages, a Plus Ultra partner, include references to dealings with Zapatero to secure the airline's public rescue in 2020. One states: “Acaba de hacerse el puente con ZP”. Izquierda Unida has questioned the legality of the evidence due to the five-year delay in its sending by US authorities. Zapatero is scheduled to testify on 17 and 18 June.
