A scandal involving possible illicit financial support of political organizations has once again come into the spotlight in Spanish society. Questions about the transparency of party finances and the influence of major business interests on government decisions have become especially acute amid new testimony in the Hidrocarburos case. For many Spaniards, this story is not just another sensation but a troubling sign pointing to the scale of corruption and lack of transparency among the country’s highest authorities.
On Friday, confessions were heard in the hall of the National Court (Audiencia Nacional) that could change the course of the investigation. Businesswoman Carmen Pano, listed as a suspect in the case, stated that she personally delivered €90,000 in cash to the headquarters of one of the country’s leading political parties. According to her, the money was handed over in two installments of €45,000, carefully packed in a bag as circumstances required. Pano claims she acted at the request of businessman Víctor de Aldama, who, however, vigorously denies any involvement in this transaction.
The envelope mystery
Víctor de Aldama, who is also under investigation, made an unexpected statement. He claimed to possess an envelope containing materials allegedly revealing a scheme of illegal financing not only of the Spanish party but also of the International Socialist Organization (Internacional Socialista). According to him, this envelope was handed to him in February 2020 by Delcy Rodríguez, who now heads Venezuela’s National Assembly. Aldama did not disclose further details about the envelope’s contents but emphasized that the documents are related to the oil business and large financial flows.
Aldama’s testimony caused a considerable stir among investigators. He tried to distance himself from the main investigation, which centers on tax evasion amounting to more than 180 million euros through oil companies. Nevertheless, Aldama admitted that he had previously collaborated with another figure in the case, Claudio Rivas, but only within the framework of other commercial projects.
Mutual accusations
Carmen Pano insists that it was Aldama who instructed her to deliver a large sum to the party office, citing his inability to personally leave his office. According to her account, the money came from Claudio Rivas, who transferred the funds and instructed that they be given to Aldama, and Aldama, for his part, could not hand them over to the final recipient himself. Aldama, on the contrary, maintains that he never gave such instructions and calls Pano’s statements a fabrication.
During the interrogation, investigators tried to determine who was the true initiator of the money transfer and what its ultimate purpose was. Questions about the origin and intended use of the funds remain unanswered. Investigators do not rule out the possibility that this case involves attempts to conceal illegal financial flows linked to obtaining licenses and influencing government decisions.
Family ties and new figures
New names have unexpectedly emerged in the case. The daughter of Carmen Pano, Leonor González Pano, recounted a meeting at the Ministry of Industry (Ministerio de Industria) in 2021. According to her, those present included herself, her mother, Claudio Rivas, and Koldo García, an advisor to the Ministry of Transport. The meeting focused on obtaining a license for Villafuel to operate in the hydrocarbons sector, a company the Guardia Civil believes was in fact controlled by Rivas.
Juan Ignacio Bidart, chief of staff to then Minister of Industry Reyes Maroto, was also involved in the talks. Bidart claims that Koldo García attended the meeting for only a few minutes. Investigators are checking whether bribes were used to speed up the licensing process and whether part of the funds was spent on real estate used by former minister José Luis Ábalos in the summer of 2021, after he resigned.
Millions involved and mounting suspicions
The prosecutor’s office estimates possible bribes at one million euros, part of which may have been spent on acquiring luxury real estate, with the rest used to pay for services and gifts. Investigators are still trying to determine exactly who organized these schemes and how the money was distributed among participants. Questions about each defendant’s role remain unresolved, and new details continue to emerge with every interrogation.
The investigation continues, with the public anxiously following developments. New testimonies are expected soon, and there may be unexpected twists in this case, which has already become one of the most talked-about in the country.
