The scandal erupting in Spain’s fuel sector has once again captured public attention after Marc Pons, former chief of staff to Teresa Ribera at the Ministry for Ecological Transition, testified before the National Court. His admission of repeated meetings with Koldo García, former adviser to the transport minister, has sparked a wave of questions about governmental transparency and potential high-level corruption links.
For Spaniards, this story matters not only because of the scale of the alleged fraud, but also because it strikes at trust in key ministries responsible for the country’s strategic industries. With state licenses granting access to multimillion-euro markets, any hint of corruption or abuse resonates widely and raises concerns about the future of transparency in national governance.
Meetings Under Suspicion
During questioning, Marc Pons confirmed that he did meet with Koldo García several times but categorically denied that these contacts were related to lobbying on behalf of Villafuel. That company found itself at the heart of an investigation after evidence emerged suggesting its involvement in large-scale fuel market fraud. According to investigators, it was Villafuel’s acquisition of a business license that allowed it to enter the market and orchestrate a scheme which caused the state hundreds of millions of euros in losses.
Pons’s testimony became a pivotal moment in the case, as it was previously believed that such meetings and informal agreements were the channels for exerting influence over the licensing process. However, the former chief of Ribera’s staff insists that his contacts with García had nothing to do with any administrative decisions or assistance to Villafuel.
Refusal to testify and new figures in the case
Meanwhile, other participants in the case have chosen to take a wait-and-see approach. The former head of staff at the Ministry of Industry, Juan Ignacio Díaz Bidart, was unable to attend the interrogation due to weather conditions. Villafuel owner Claudio Rivas exercised his right to remain silent, although he promised to testify at a later date.
Investigators believe that Rivas and businessman Víctor de Aldama were at the origins of the scheme, under which, according to the Civil Guard, one million euros were allocated to bribe officials and secure the necessary permits for Villafuel. Case files include information about attempts to influence decisions in several ministries at once, including transport, industry, and the environment.
Mechanisms of influence
Investigators paid special attention to meetings that, in their view, may have been the starting point for the fraudulent scheme. In December 2020 and January 2021, representatives of Villafuel and their intermediaries met with senior officials to expedite the licensing process. According to the investigation, this document became the key element that allowed the company to enter the market and orchestrate a large-scale deception.
Case materials indicate that the organization behind the scheme had sufficient resources and connections to access the top levels of several ministries. Investigators point to signs of a criminal group specializing in operations within a strategically significant sector of the economy.
Scale of the damage
Court documents include estimates suggesting that losses from Villafuel’s activities and its affiliates could exceed 220 million euros. The investigation continues to analyze financial flows and links between those involved to determine how such a large-scale scheme was carried out in a relatively short period.
While some of those implicated in the case prefer to remain silent and others deny any involvement, public and expert attention is focused on what will happen next. Questions about transparency, accountability, and oversight of state licensing remain unresolved, and new details emerging from the investigation only intensify interest in the case.
