Julio Martínez Martínez, identified in the investigation as a close associate and alleged intermediary for former Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, submitted a written statement to the Audiencia Nacional in the Plus Ultra bailout case. Delivered to investigating judge José Luis Calama shortly before Martínez Martínez’s scheduled testimony, the document describes Zapatero’s role in efforts to secure public financing for the airline and outlines an alleged commission arrangement tied to the operation. The claims remain under judicial examination; they are not a finding of criminal responsibility.
Martínez Martínez says he first learned of Plus Ultra’s financial difficulties in May 2020, when Zapatero told him that company executives would contact him. Soon afterward, Julio Martínez Sola, the airline’s owner, and Roberto Roselli, its chief executive, described the company’s urgent need for financing. The statement says Zapatero already knew about the situation and helped coordinate efforts to find financial support.
Martínez Martínez says his own ability to secure financing was limited and describes Zapatero as directing the process in a consulting role. relevant analysis was established to provide advisory and organizational services. Information from the statement, Zapatero helped shape strategy and attract clients despite holding no formal position or stake in the firm. Martínez Martínez was its majority shareholder; journalist Sergio Sánchez held a minority share and worked on finalizing reports, while Whathefav formatted them under a monthly retainer.
The statement says Zapatero’s personal and professional connections helped attract clients, including Plus Ultra. On 30 July 2020, the airline signed an advisory-services agreement with relevant analysis for €5,000 a month plus VAT. Martínez Martínez says the fees in practice compensated Zapatero for advice dating back to May. A separate success-fee agreement, signed on 19 January 2021 by Plus Ultra and Idella Consulenza Estrategica S.L., provided for a payment of 1% of public financing secured through the SEPI-managed Fund to Support the Solvency of Strategic Companies.
The Spanish Council of Ministers approved €53 million in financing for Plus Ultra on 9 March 2021, with the operation managed through the state holding company SEPI. A 1% fee on that amount would equal approximately €530,000. Martínez Martínez’s statement describes the payment as compensation tied to obtaining the bailout; the court will determine its legal characterization.
Martínez Martínez says Zapatero was kept informed as the application progressed. On 26 February 2021, he says, Zapatero told him SEPI would approve the requested loan. In a separate account of his court testimony, Martínez Sola said the company approached the group around Zapatero amid uncertainty about whether public support would be approved, describing the payment as made “in the face of uncertainty.” He also said he knew of no specific action by Zapatero at SEPI. Testifying before Judge Calama on 17 June, Zapatero denied exerting influence on Plus Ultra’s behalf or interacting with SEPI officials about the financing.
Martínez Martínez’s statement also describes how the alleged commission was paid. It says intense media scrutiny of the bailout led to payments being spread over time until 2026, with some invoiced through other companies linked to him. According to the statement, the total was approximately 1% of the funds received.
relevant analysis’s professional relationship with Plus Ultra continued after the financing operation. According to the statement, the subsequent work focused on technical and logistical issues in Venezuela, with most services billed through entities associated with Plus Ultra and Martínez Martínez.
The statement traces Martínez Martínez’s relationship with Zapatero to 2011, when a mutual acquaintance arranged the purchase of a property in Vera, Almería, from Zapatero’s family. It says the sale was finalized at the Palacio de la Moncloa, marking the beginning of their association.
Martínez Martínez, represented by attorney María Dolores Márquez de Prado, is due to appear before the Audiencia Nacional and has said he intends to cooperate with the investigation. The case examines the €53 million pandemic-era bailout and has widened to examine alleged commissions and intermediaries, as well as possible influence-peddling. The investigation remains ongoing. For additional background on the allegations regarding Zapatero’s strategic direction in the Plus Ultra rescue, see this earlier report on the ex-president’s role.
The Plus Ultra proceedings have brought renewed attention to oversight of public bailouts and the role of political connections in securing state support. The SEPI fund was created to help strategic companies weather the economic impact of the COVID-19 crisis. Judge Calama is examining allegations connected with the financing; the court has not made a final determination of criminal responsibility.
