New details have emerged in the case of medical mask procurement for the Canary Islands, potentially changing the course of the investigation. Officers from the UCO (Unidad Central Operativa) discovered messages on seized mobile devices suggesting a possible meeting between the former head of the autonomy and the current Minister for Territorial Affairs with the businessman at the center of the corruption scandal.
According to investigators, a conversation may have taken place in Madrid in the summer of 2020 between a high-ranking official and the businessman responsible for supplying personal protective equipment to the islands. Messages found on the suspects’ phones discuss delays in payment for a large shipment of masks and mention intermediaries who helped establish contact between the parties.
Interestingly, immediately after the alleged meeting, the businessman contacted one of the intermediaries to request the regional chief’s contact information. After receiving the number, he sent a message referring to their recent meeting and suggesting a discussion about antigen test deliveries. Although there was no reply, records show the message was read within less than an hour.
The case files also include audio messages in which the official describes difficulties with paying the invoice for the masks. He mentions encountering resistance from one of the staff members but expresses hope that the issue will be resolved soon. In correspondence with another party to the deal, they discuss the possibility of expanding cooperation and supplying new tests, and there is also mention of contact with the Minister of Health, who, according to the official, showed interest in the proposal.
On the same day that the details of the new deliveries were being discussed, one of the entrepreneur’s partners forwarded a screenshot of the conversation with the official to a group chat that included other negotiation participants. Investigators note that the intermediary’s role in this story was crucial: not only did he facilitate contacts, but according to the investigation, he also regularly received payments for his services.
