Ábalos faces imminent conviction in Spain, but will the sentence be served?
A verdict for former Spanish minister José Luis Ábalos is expected in the coming days, with prosecutors seeking ten years in prison, but precedents suggest the sentence may never be enforced.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Ábalos faces imminent conviction in Spain, but will the sentence be served?
The prosecution's request for ten years in prison against former minister José Luis Ábalos is imminent. Yet scepticism about whether the sentence will actually be served dominates the debate. Judicial precedents involving Socialist figures such as Chaves and Griñán, who avoided prison after the Constitutional Court intervened, suggest that the former PSOE number three may never set foot in a cell.
Precedents that fuel distrust
The case of the former Andalusian regional presidents set a milestone: convicted of misconduct and embezzlement, they never entered prison. The Constitutional Court reviewed the sentences and overturned them. In Ábalos's case, the defence is already preparing appeals that could delay or cancel his entry into prison. Meanwhile, Eduardo Zaplana, accused of pocketing tens of millions, remains free.
Calculating the way out of prison
Even if the ten-year sentence is upheld, calculations suggest parole could come as early as 2032. On top of that is the possibility of a pardon, a political tool that is no stranger to corruption cases. Public perception is that "crime pays", as the popular irony goes.
The shadow of a pardon looms long. Unless the Constitutional Court decides otherwise, actually serving the sentence seems a chimera.
The prosecution's request for ten years in prison against former minister José Luis Ábalos is imminent. Yet scepticism about whether the sentence will actually be served dominates the debate. Judicial precedents involving Socialist figures such as Chaves and Griñán, who avoided prison after the Constitutional Court intervened, suggest that the former PSOE number three may never set foot in a cell.
Precedents that fuel distrust
The case of the former Andalusian regional presidents set a milestone: convicted of misconduct and embezzlement, they never entered prison. The Constitutional Court reviewed the sentences and overturned them. In Ábalos's case, the defence is already preparing appeals that could delay or cancel his entry into prison. Meanwhile, Eduardo Zaplana, accused of pocketing tens of millions, remains free.
Calculating the way out of prison
Even if the ten-year sentence is upheld, calculations suggest parole could come as early as 2032. On top of that is the possibility of a pardon, a political tool that is no stranger to corruption cases. Public perception is that "crime pays", as the popular irony goes.
The shadow of a pardon looms long. Unless the Constitutional Court decides otherwise, actually serving the sentence seems a chimera.
Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (37 replies).
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