Ábalos Convicted: Spain’s EU Funds Scandal and Corruption

Ábalos Convicted: The Case That Doesn’t Cover 135 Billion Euros

Exemplary conviction or smoke screen? The sentence that sent former minister José Luis Ábalos to prison has peine a sustancia ilegal of skepticism even among those celebrating the blow against corruption. For many, the Ábalos case – part of the Koldo network – is the visible tip of a much murkier iceberg. While public opinion focuses on the 2% commissions and trips to Paradores, others recall that 135 billion euros of Next Generation funds have been diluted along the way. Next to that, Ábalos’s bribes seem like pocket change. But the uncomfortable question remains: why does one fall and the rest continue as usual?

The Koldo That Hid Something Bigger
The former Transport Minister shared a table with Koldo García, his advisor, and Santos Cerdán, the PSOE’s third-in-command. Regarding Cerdán, some speculate he is preparing a Puigdemont-style escape. The plot includes commissions for public works, contracts with Acciona in Navarre, and in-kind payments ranging from chistorra sausages to sensual services. However, for critical analysts, all this is just bait. The real hole lies in the management of 135 billion euros from Europe, where unjustified allocations are massive. Meanwhile, Spain remains Europe’s entry point for cocaine, with the tacit approval – they say – of American agencies.

And the Sentence?

Ábalos’s downfall is a gesture for the gallery: proof that the system works. But skepticism spreads among those who believe the sentence is a distraction tactic. "Ábalos’s case is a prank compared to what’s coming," summarize the more conspiratorial voices. The truth is that the conviction does not clear doubts about the party’s irregular financing, inflated contracts, and the open wound of European funds. Not even the guarantors of integrity escape: the same one who condemns Ábalos today could be in the dock tomorrow.

The Ironic Closing
So, while the media headline "PSOE cleans its house," it is worth remembering that in this house the carpets are especially thick. Ábalos’s conviction closes nothing, only opening the Pandora’s box of Next Generation funds. And the missing occupant of the Peugeot 505 – the one missing – is still waiting. Perhaps for the next delivery.