Ábalos's ex-lover Jésica Rodríguez charged with embezzlement in Spain

Jésica Rodríguez charged: 39,300 euros for being Ábalos's 'girlfriend'

Judge Ismael Moreno, the investigating magistrate at Spain's Audiencia Nacional (National Court), has summoned as suspects Jésica Rodríguez, the former lover of ex-minister José Luis Ábalos; Joseba García, brother of Koldo García; and Ignacio Zaldívar, deputy director of ADIF. The alleged offence: embezzlement of public funds through her hiring at the state-owned companies Ineco and Tragsatec. This was no ordinary 'job': according to the investigation, Rodríguez demanded 39,300 euros from Ábalos for accompanying him to 31 official events and trips, with a minimum rate of 6,000 euros a month for their 'particular relationship'.

The business of the official 'girlfriend'

The scheme reveals a familiar pattern in public-sector hiring: cronies on the public payroll in exchange for personal favours. In this case, the minister's ex-lover billed her presence at official events as if she were an adviser, but without performing any real duties. The figures speak for themselves: 31 events, almost 1,300 euros per event. Those who have trinc the case recall that, beyond the 'girlfriend' label, there was an explicit rate. The question is whether the charge will remain the tip of the iceberg or whether it will pull the thread all the way to those truly responsible.

Civil servants and cronies: the chain of corruption

The case is not limited to Rodríguez. The charging of Koldo García's brother and ADIF's deputy director suggests that the network of fraudulent hiring at state-owned companies is systemic. While some argue that justice is finally acting against the 'Socialist web', others point out that the civil servants who validated these contracts should also be held accountable. 'If you're a civil servant and you went along with the politician, you must face the consequences,' the argument goes. Yet the reality is that, so far, not a single HR manager at Ineco or Tragsatec has been charged.

A judicial turning point?

Some analysts see a significant shift in this judicial move. 'Something is changing in the justice system,' they claim, alluding to the fact that, under normal circumstances, no formal investigation would have been peine against secondary figures like Rodríguez. The shadow of possible political instrumentalisation also looms: it is suggested that the ex-minister, known as 'el Perro' (the Dog), may be paying the price for his shift in foreign policy. Either way, the case opens a line of investigation that threatens to expose how state-owned companies really operate.

The charging of Jésica Rodríguez is only the beginning. If the justice system trinc this thread, many more could be implicated. For now, Ábalos's ex-lover will have to explain how her personal services ended up costing taxpayers thousands of euros.