On the fifth day of the Koldo case trial at Spain's Supreme Court, witnesses described the role of José Luis Ábalos's advisor, Koldo García, in doubling a masks order to Soluciones de Gestión during the pandemic. Ex-Transportes subsecretary Jesús Manuel Gómez attributed to Koldo the phrase 'eight million or nothing'. Other witnesses upheld the contracts' legality.
The fifth session of the trial against José Luis Ábalos, Koldo García, and Víctor de Aldama focused on masks contracts awarded in March 2020 amid the covid-19 pandemic. On March 19, Ábalos tasked officials with organizing a large purchase to protect essential Transportes Ministry workers.
Jesús Manuel Gómez, former State Transportes subsecretary dismissed by Óscar Puente, testified that Koldo García hand-delivered Soluciones de Gestión's offer, a firm linked to Aldama. An initial order for four million masks was signed by Ábalos at 19:55. Thirty-eight minutes later, after Koldo's words—'eight million or nothing'—it doubled to eight million, seen as the minister's will.
Michaux Miranda, former Adif executive also ousted by Puente, said Isabel Pardo de Vera, then Adif president, provided Soluciones de Gestión's contact for a 12.5 million euro contract. Both witnesses, charged in related cases, defended the processes' legality, allowed by the emergency state bypassing usual controls. They denied pressure or commissions.
Víctor Francos, Salvador Illa's advisor, confirmed brief meetings with Koldo offering sanitary material without insistence. The session featured unrelated witnesses cited to challenge Aldama's credibility.
