Judge José Luis Calama has lifted the secrecy of the indictment against former president José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero for alleged influence trafficking linked to the Plus Ultra airline bailout. Zapatero will testify on June 17 and 18 at the Audiencia Nacional. Pedro Sánchez expressed support for the former socialist leader.
The UDEF investigation dates back years and intensified with the judicial summons delivered on May 19 at the former president's home. The police reports, dated April 22, 2026, include messages from Plus Ultra executives mentioning Zapatero as a possible entry point to the government to secure a 53 million euro bailout during the pandemic.
The dossier contains references to phone conversations and meetings attributed to third parties, such as an alleged 11-minute call and a meeting on October 14, 2020. Zapatero has denied any relationship with the airline's current president, Julio Martínez Sola, and any involvement in the bailout.
The judge relies on indications from third parties to place Zapatero at the center of an alleged network through his friend Julio Martínez Martínez and the consultancy Análisis Relevante, which paid him 490,780 euros. No direct interventions or evidence of specific pressure appear in the dossier itself.
