José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, Spain’s former prime minister, has asked the National Court to declare the entire Plus Ultra investigation null and void. His legal team argues in a formal submission that the proceedings violated his Fundamental Rights, including the right to a fair trial and the presumption of innocence. The request seeks to exclude all evidence gathered by the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office. The allegations have not been established at trial, and the court has yet to rule on Zapatero’s request.
The legal document, accessed by EL PAÍS, sets out Zapatero’s concerns that investigators relied on evidence obtained through methods that breached privacy and data protection, as well as the confidentiality of third-party communications. His defense, led by lawyer Víctor Moreno Catena, is seeking to overturn several judicial decisions. These include the initial order issued by Madrid’s Investigative Court No. 15 in November 2025, which opened a separate line of inquiry into alleged money laundering after the state rescue of Plus Ultra. The defense also challenges the subsequent search and seizure orders at the airline’s headquarters in December and the transfer of the case to the National Court. It disputes searches at Zapatero’s office and his daughters’ company, the partial freezing of his accounts, and the creation of a separate case concerning jewelry found in his office safe.
The wider inquiry concerns Plus Ultra’s €53 million rescue, authorized by Spain’s Council of Ministers on 9 March 2021 and administered by the state industrial holding company SEPI through its strategic-company solvency fund, established during the COVID-19 crisis. Investigators are examining whether public financing was diverted through alleged money-laundering operations, and whether influence was used to secure the bailout. The National Court investigation is led by investigating judge José Luis Calama. Zapatero has been identified among those investigated over alleged offenses involving criminal organization and influence-peddling, as well as document-related offenses. The allegations remain under investigation.
One strand concerns payments reportedly equivalent to about 1% of the bailout, approximately €530,000, to entities linked to businessman Julio Martínez Martínez, an intermediary associated with Zapatero’s circle. Investigators are examining whether the payments were for legitimate consulting or intermediary work, or instead constituted compensation connected to the state rescue. Martínez testified before the National Court in 2026 about his communications with Zapatero and the payments. He reportedly said he did not know what actions, if any, Zapatero took inside SEPI, while acknowledging payments to his business network. His testimony does not by itself establish that Zapatero influenced the rescue decision.
The inquiry also examines assessments of Plus Ultra’s eligibility, including work reportedly carried out by Daiwa Corporate Advisor and Deloitte, along with Spain’s aviation safety agency, AESA. Former SEPI officials have reportedly maintained that outside consultants were responsible for assessing the airline’s financial structure and links. Separately, investigators are examining up to €2.1 million in loans allegedly obtained before the rescue through five contracts involving three foreign companies. They are also examining suspected transfers of rescue funds. These matters remain allegations in the judicial proceedings.
The jewelry matter is being handled as a separate strand from the basic Plus Ultra case. The Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office has raised potential questions about undeclared gifts and embezzlement, as well as contraband and tax fraud. The judge has also requested information from the government about gifts Zapatero received during his time as prime minister. The defense’s challenge to searches and evidence in this strand makes the handling of the objects and the legal basis for collecting related material basic to its broader request for annulment.
The legal challenge comes amid heightened scrutiny of high-profile corruption cases in Spain. The Plus Ultra affair has drawn impressive public and political attention because it involves a former head of government and raises questions about judicial process and personal privacy. The defense argues that several pieces of evidence were analyzed without proper legal safeguards, potentially undermining the investigation’s legitimacy.
Zapatero’s challenge to the foundation of the case reflects broader tensions in Spanish politics over judicial independence and the handling of corruption allegations. Similar controversies have emerged in recent years, as public figures and writers have criticized the government’s response to corruption verdicts involving PSOE members. The debate intensified after a major sentence against party figures, prompting reactions in Congress and public criticism from prominent voices such as Arturo Pérez-Reverte, as reported in coverage of the parliamentary fallout.
Requests to annul entire investigations are rare in Spanish law and typically signal serious concerns about procedural fairness. The Plus Ultra case stems from the airline’s 2021 state bailout and has been under judicial review since 2025. The National Court is reviewing Zapatero’s submission. Its decision could affect the admissibility of evidence and the scope of the investigation.
