Police reveal details of Zapatero’s meeting with Plus Ultra during state aid assessment. Police documented an in-person meeting between Zapatero and the head of Plus Ultra in the midst of the state support review. The case includes messages about talks with investors and discussions of consultancy payments.
A new round of investigation is unfolding in Spain regarding the allocation of state aid to the airline Plus Ultra. The national police have submitted a report to the court stating that in October 2020, when the issue of allocating 53 million euros from the budget was under consideration, the company's president, Julio Martínez Sola, personally met with former Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero. According to the investigation, the meeting coincided with a key stage in the application process for state support through SEPI (Sociedad Estatal de Participaciones Industriales).
The key evidence turned out to be messages exchanged between Martínez Sola and Venezuelan businessman Rodolfo Reyes, the largest shareholder of Plus Ultra. In one of the chats, the company president reported that he was 'with Zapatero and the Chinese.' Reyes wished him luck. These messages were discovered on Reyes's phone, which was seized by U.S. authorities and handed over to the Spanish court. As EL PAÍS notes, these very messages became the central element of the investigation involving possible influence schemes and lobbying for the company's interests.
A few days after the mentioned meeting, SEPI sent Plus Ultra an additional request to clarify documents required for the subsidy. In response, Reyes informed Martínez Sola about an upcoming meeting with SEPI representatives. Their correspondence also discussed business with 'the Chinese,' which, according to investigators, is believed to be related to the timing of the meeting with Zapatero. As the police emphasize, these details were confirmed by the materials provided by U.S. authorities.
Financial matters were also discussed within the company. In the group chat “Sala Situacional Pula,” one of the top managers, Roberto Roselli, informed colleagues about a chance meeting with Martínez Martínez — a friend of Zapatero and owner of the firm Análisis Relevante. He reminded them of the need to pay for consulting services. The next day, Roselli noted that he had “received the contact yesterday.” On November 5, Plus Ultra made its first payment to Análisis Relevante — €6,050 under a contract signed that summer. The day before, Roselli sent an audio message to Reyes, describing a meeting with a SEPI representative attended by Martínez Sola as well. The message mentioned that the “contact” was also in touch, but did not specify who it was referring to.
Attention to the Plus Ultra case remains high in political circles. Pressure on those involved in the case has increased in the Spanish Senate: PP deputies demanded the interrogation of former ministers and key figures, to clarify possible corruption links and the role of former high-ranking officials.
For reference: SEPI is a government body responsible for supporting strategic companies. Plus Ultra received aid during the pandemic, which sparked widespread public debate and questions about procedural transparency. The investigation involves not only Spanish, but also international participants, including investors from Venezuela and China. The case remains one of the most discussed examples of a potential conflict of interest and former politicians’ influence over the allocation of public funds.
