José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero testified for nearly three hours before Judge José Luis Calama on Wednesday at the Audiencia Nacional in the Plus Ultra case. On Thursday the magistrate charged his daughters and secretary. The former president denied any influence in the airline's rescue.
Zapatero denied speaking with authorities about the 53 million euro rescue of Plus Ultra and stated that his professional activity had always been legal. He acknowledged calling Banco Santander to attend to airline executives, though he downplayed the significance of that action.
The judge questioned Zapatero's role in Análisis Relevante and suggested the company appeared set up to receive commissions. The former president defended his consultancy reports and denied knowledge of offshore companies in Dubai.
On Thursday the judge charged Zapatero's daughters, Laura and Alba Rodríguez Espinosa, through their company Whathefav, and his secretary Gertrudis Alcázar. Pedro Sánchez expressed support for the former president and voiced confidence in his innocence.
