The Plus Ultra affair has taken a sharp turn, bringing former Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero and the current government under renewed scrutiny. Recent testimony from Julio Martínez Martínez, described in reporting as a former associate of Zapatero, has sharpened questions about the former leader’s role in the airline’s controversial rescue. Martínez Martínez reportedly acknowledged that Zapatero had directed him to meet Plus Ultra executive Julio Martínez Sola. He said he did not know what specific steps Zapatero took with the state holding company SEPI or in connection with the bailout. The testimony adds to the political pressure, but does not establish that Zapatero intervened in the formal approval.
Despite mounting allegations and conflicting accounts, the government has not withdrawn its support for Zapatero. Ministers continue to invoke the presumption of innocence, while his defense challenges the significance and admissibility of evidence in the case. Plus Ultra president Julio Martínez Sola reportedly confirmed that messages basic to the investigation were authentic. United States customs authorities recovered them from the phone of former airline president Rodolfo Reyes. Zapatero’s legal team has challenged their use as evidence.
The messages include communications dated 6 February 2021, when Reyes reportedly asked Martínez Sola to arrange a meeting with Camilo Ibrahim Issa and Martínez Martínez. In a 26 February exchange, a message allegedly referred to expected state aid before formal approval. Investigators are considering the messages alongside emails and findings by the Spanish National Police’s Economic and Fiscal Crime Unit (UDEF), as well as witness testimony. One message quoted in reporting said that the “Zapatero group” was already dealing with the matter. The court has yet to determine what the messages demonstrate.
The Council of Ministers authorized the public financing at the center of the case on 9 March 2021, with the state industrial holding company SEPI administering it. The €53 million support package consisted of a €19 million ordinary loan and a €34 million participatory loan, rather than a conventional commercial bank loan. Repayments on the ordinary loan were scheduled to begin in 2026; the participatory component was due before the end of 2028. The government says the process was lawful, SEPI experts assessed the application, and Spanish and European authorities validated the decision.
Testimony attributed to Martínez Sola described contacts with people referred to as the “Zapatero group” before the rescue, as well as a payment equivalent to 1% of the expected financing. That would amount to approximately €530,000 on the €53 million package. The reported testimony linked the payment to the broader group; it did not establish that Zapatero personally received the money. Martínez Sola reportedly said he could not identify a specific intervention by the former prime minister at SEPI. The court still has to assess the payment’s nature, destination and legal significance. The allegations are not a finding of guilt.
Unease is growing within the PSOE. Party leaders such as María Jesús Montero continue to reaffirm their confidence in Zapatero, while regional and local officials are reported to be concerned about his silence. His lack of a public explanation has become a point of tension, particularly as Sumar, the government’s junior coalition partner, calls on him to address the allegations. Vice President Yolanda Díaz and other Sumar representatives say the case is causing public concern and needs further clarification.
Opposition parties have seized on the scandal. The PP and Vox have stepped up their criticism, linking the government to alleged influence peddling. PP spokesperson Ester Muñoz has argued that the bailout could not have happened without government approval. Vox leader Santiago Abascal has described the affair as evidence of a criminal network operating from La Moncloa. These are political claims. The Audiencia Nacional is conducting the legal inquiry under investigating judge José Luis Calama. It examines possible influence peddling and money laundering, along with the alleged irregular use of public funds. There has been no reported conviction of Zapatero or final judicial conclusion that he improperly secured the rescue.
In recent weeks, attention had also turned to the discovery of jewelry valued at €1.3 million in Zapatero’s office, a matter seen as more personal and less directly tied to government action. The investigation has widened to consider surrounding relationships and possible benefits. In October 2026, Calama reportedly sought information from National Heritage about gifts received by the Presidency during Zapatero’s term. The request is part of the broader proceedings and, on its own, does not establish wrongdoing.
The airline’s financial position remains a impressive part of the story. In October 2026, Plus Ultra was reported to be seeking a buyer after failing to restore its finances in the years following the rescue. The sale effort comes amid scrutiny of the financing and its repayment obligations. The case now encompasses questions about the airline’s eligibility for pandemic support and the role of intermediaries, as well as the use of public funds. The Audiencia Nacional’s investigation continues. The government maintains that the bailout was lawful, while the allegations and evidence remain subject to judicial review.
