Víctor Ábalos, son of former Spanish Transport Minister José Luis Ábalos, has unexpectedly made explosive statements that have once again stirred public debate around the corruption case and the visit of Delcy Rodríguez to Madrid in 2020. According to Víctor, the main reason for the then-Venezuelan vice president’s appearance in Spain was directly linked to the interests of former prime minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero. All other circumstances, he believes, are secondary.
In an interview on a popular Spanish television channel, Víctor Ábalos defended his father, who is currently in custody awaiting trial on corruption charges. He insists that Rodríguez’s visit was organized not for his father’s personal benefit, but to serve the interests of powerful figures, with Zapatero receiving special mention.
Secret motives
Víctor Ábalos did not go into detail about what he meant by the former prime minister’s ‘main interest’, but he hinted that Rodríguez’s visit was not the only one. He claims she traveled to Spain several times during the period of sanctions, supposedly for shopping, although Víctor himself admits that this is only his opinion and not a confirmed fact.
He paid special attention to the case of Plus Ultra airline, which he said was rescued at the initiative of the ‘shadow president’—as he called Zapatero. Víctor claims the decision to support the company was made without his father’s knowledge. He also suggested that Zapatero may have seen Ábalos as a potential rival, as Ábalos had been actively working with Latin American countries and building extensive connections since the 1990s.
Connections and Suspicions
Víctor Ábalos avoided discussing the role of businessman Víctor de Aldama, who is accused of bribery, and Koldo García, the former ministerial adviser. However, the case files include messages exchanged between Aldama and Delcy Rodríguez, which indicate that they, together with Ábalos, coordinated the Venezuelan official’s visit and arranged her schedule in Madrid.
According to Víctor, the first thing Rodríguez requested upon arriving in Spain was a meeting with Zapatero, seeking his help to resolve the situation. He stressed that he was not aware of all the details of the visit, but hinted at the interest of Spanish entrepreneurs in certain deals related to her trip.
Diplomatic Scandal
Víctor Ábalos claims the Spanish government was unaware of the sanctions against Delcy Rodríguez when the so-called ‘Delcygate’ scandal erupted in the press. He says his father acted on orders from Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez to resolve the diplomatic crisis. According to Víctor, it was Sánchez himself who first called the minister and asked him to intervene.
Later, according to the ex-minister’s son, Rodríguez personally thanked Ábalos for his efforts. However, these statements failed to convince the prosecutor’s office, which is seeking a 24-year prison sentence for the former minister on charges of accepting bribes and lobbying for companies linked to Aldama.
Family persecution
Víctor Ábalos sharply criticized the media’s role in the case, accusing journalists of creating a “parallel court” and orchestrating an unprecedented campaign of harassment that, in his view, affected not only the minister himself but his entire family. According to Víctor, no politician in Spain has faced such a massive smear campaign as his father.
In conclusion, Víctor Ábalos emphasized that his father remains in Madrid’s Soto del Real prison, awaiting his trial. He believes the real reasons for Delcy Rodríguez’s visit and Zapatero’s involvement in this story are still hidden, and that the public only sees the tip of the iceberg.
