PP Demands Questioning of Former Minister and Key Figures in Plus Ultra Case in Senate. A large-scale investigation into the Plus Ultra case is beginning in the Spanish Senate. The PP is demanding the questioning of a former minister, Zapatero’s secretary, and other key figures. The focus is on possible corruption and the role of the government.
A new stage of the Plus Ultra investigation is starting in the Spanish Senate: the PP party has announced a “total offensive strategy” in the SEPI commission after former Prime Minister Zapatero came under investigation. According to Alicia García, the official PP representative in the upper house, the situation has become exceptionally acute and requires a public clarification of all circumstances.
The PP has initiated summons for hearings of several key figures: former minister and current head of the Bank of Spain José Luis Escrivá, Zapatero’s secretary María Gertrudis Alcázar, trusted associate Julio Martínez Martínez — Cristóbal Cano, as well as Manuel Aaron Fajardo, whom the National Court refers to as “Zapatero’s man in Venezuela.” García emphasized that this concerns not only the legal aspects of the case, but also the political responsibility of the current government and Pedro Sánchez personally.
According to the PP, the Plus Ultra case goes far beyond a single episode with the state bailout of the airline. García claims that the investigation is uncovering systemic links and possible involvement of high-ranking officials in corruption schemes. She recalled that during previous Senate hearings, accusations were already made against Zapatero, Sánchez, and Finance Minister Montero, and now the court has confirmed that the former prime minister may have exerted pressure to allocate funds to Plus Ultra.
For now, the PP does not plan to summon Zapatero again, as he has already testified in the Koldo case. However, the party reserves the right to reconsider this decision after the former prime minister appears before the judge of the National Court on June 2. García stated that the commission will continue its work until all circumstances are clarified and the political consequences for the government are determined.
The Plus Ultra case has become one of the most talked-about topics in Spanish politics in recent years. According to RUSSPAIN, the investigation is connected to suspected corruption in the allocation of state funds to the airline, as well as possible links between former and current officials. Notably, similar corruption scandals have already influenced the political agenda in the regions: for example, recent allegations of ties to drug trafficking and corruption in Andalusia intensified the election campaign, as described in the report on the scandal during the Andalusian elections. In the case of Plus Ultra, attention is focused on how quickly and transparently the authorities will be able to respond to new challenges and ensure trust in the institutions.
For reference: SEPI (Sociedad Estatal de Participaciones Industriales) is a state entity managing shares and investments in strategic companies. Plus Ultra is a Spanish airline that received government support during the pandemic. The National Court is Spain's highest court for particularly complex cases, including corruption and economic crimes.
