The Spanish judiciary is investigating former prime minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero over alleged illegal influence-peddling and money laundering.
He is also accused of membership of a criminal organization and forgery of documents, the judiciary said.
Zapatero has been summoned by the investigating judge in charge of the case, José Luis Calama, to appear as a defendant before the National High Court in Madrid on June 2.
On Tuesday, the court authorized searches of the office of the former prime minister (2004–2011) and the business premises of three companies linked to the socialist politician.
The 65-year-old is alleged to have been the head of a network that used political contacts to influence decisions by public authorities in favour of third parties – primarily in favour of the airline Plus Ultra, according to a judicial statement. The aim was to secure financial benefits.
The background to the investigations is the state bailout of the airline Plus Ultra in March 2021 as part of a Spanish Covid-19 aid programme. At the time, the company received around €53 million (about $62 million) via the state-owned industrial investment fund SEPI.
The aid was politically controversial, as Plus Ultra was considered a relatively small airline and critics questioned its classification as a “strategically important” company. Furthermore, there have been recurring discussions about the company’s possible links to Venezuela.
The former prime minister has acted on several occasions as an unofficial mediator between Spanish politicians and the autocratic government in Caracas.
Zapatero left office 15 years ago, and is not a member of the government. However, he regularly appears in the media and in public debates supporting it.
