María Gertrudis Alcázar, the long-serving personal secretary to former Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, appeared before the Spanish Senate on Monday but declined to answer questions about her alleged involvement in the Plus Ultra airline bailout investigation. The tense session brought renewed scrutiny of high-profile figures linked to the PSOE amid corruption allegations.
Accompanied by several Socialist senators and her lawyer, Alcázar entered the Senate’s third-floor commission room as journalists called out questions. Composed, she read a brief statement, citing her status as an official suspect and invoking her right to remain silent on legal advice. She said her silence should not be taken as disrespect, but was a procedural necessity given her legal situation.
The Senate commission, dominated by the Partido Popular (PP) because of its absolute majority, has become a focal point for investigations into alleged corruption involving Socialist Party figures. Alcázar is under investigation for suspected influence peddling and money laundering linked to the state’s €53 million rescue of Plus Ultra during the pandemic. The airline received the aid through the state holding company SEPI in March 2021. The allegations remain under judicial investigation, and the charges carry potential prison sentences of up to six years.
PP spokesperson Rocío Divar led the questioning, pressing Alcázar on her relationship with Zapatero and the funding of her legal defense. She also asked about meetings and valuables found in the former prime minister’s office. Questions included one about a specific Sunday meeting at La Moncloa and the origin of expensive jewelry. Alcázar did not respond during the 40-minute session.
The jewelry has also become part of the court’s documentary inquiry. On 23 October 2026, investigating judge José Luis Calama of the Audiencia Nacional ordered the State Assets sub-directorate to provide records of institutional gifts made to the Presidency during Zapatero’s two terms, from 2004 to 2008 and 2008 to 2011. The court requested the official acceptance and allocation record, dated March 2012, and gave the administration a maximum of two days to respond. Zapatero has reportedly said the jewelry was a gift from Saudi Arabia. The court is seeking records on the provenance and official handling of such gifts.
Vox senator Paloma Enríquez also sought answers, asking about the PSOE’s support for Alcázar and her connections to other figures in the case. Alcázar again offered no reply. Socialist Party spokesperson María Amparo Estructura used her time to criticize the commission’s motives, arguing that political resentment, rather than genuine oversight, was driving the investigation. The commission’s president formally warned her for straying from the session’s focus.
The session laid bare divisions in Spanish politics over corruption probes and the use of parliamentary commissions. The PP announced plans to summon Alcázar again, saying questions remain unanswered. The investigation also reaches beyond the rescue decision: investigators are examining a reported contract between Plus Ultra and Idella that provided for a payment of 1% of the €53 million aid, about €530,000. They are also looking into whether the proposed payment was connected to intermediary services or later arrangements involving funds outside Spain. Businessman Julio Martínez Martínez has reportedly told the court that he kept Zapatero informed about the airline’s needs and acknowledged remuneration connected to the rescue.
Investigators have also examined the timing of a meeting at Madrid’s Portonovo restaurant and the subsequent creation of a foreign company called Landside. The reservation was reportedly arranged through Alcázar. The UDEF hypothesis described by El Confidencial Digital is that a Dubai-based company, backed by a business plan projecting $3 million in profits over five years, may have been intended to route the commission abroad. These are investigative lines, not judicial findings.
The case has drawn comparisons with other recent corruption controversies involving tax inspections and the PSOE, prompting debate about the impartiality of official investigations. Recent scrutiny of the tax agency’s approach to PSOE-linked scandals was highlighted in a related report on Madrid’s leadership, available here.
Alcázar has long kept a low public profile, with few photographs or appearances outside her official duties. Her last impressive public appearance was in a documentary about former prime ministers. The Plus Ultra investigation centers on whether any part of the state rescue was diverted through money laundering and whether intermediaries or people connected to Zapatero exerted influence over the process. The court is also examining the roles of consultants and airline executives, while lenders’ roles are under review as well. The company is reportedly seeking a buyer amid financial difficulties. Parliamentary commissions such as the one Alcázar faced are a common tool in Spain for probing political scandals, though their effectiveness and impartiality are often debated. The outcome of this and similar cases could affect public trust in political parties and the country’s oversight institutions.
