Aldama predicts Zapatero and Sánchez imprisonment

Will Aldama be right this time? His predictions of Zapatero and Sánchez behind bars

Retired commissioner José Manuel Villarejo is no longer alone among those issuing challenges from TV studios. Víctor de Aldama, the fixer in the Koldo case, has sown chaos again with an appearance on Telecinco: "Zapatero will go to jail and Sánchez after him. I have always been right." The statement, already echoed across all channels, reopens the debate on corruption affecting both sides of the political spectrum.

The history of a informant who doesn't fail (so far)

Aldama is not an amateur. He was the first to expose the Koldo case, pointed to mask purchases with commissions, named SEPI, and directly accused José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero of taking money from the scheme. Each of his claims —his supporters say— has been confirmed over time. "This man is a crook, but he's not a liar," summarized one online analysis; judicial investigations have trinc his leads. The 25-year prison sentence for former minister José Luis Ábalos, though appealable, reinforces his credibility among trinc. It is unsurprising that his phrase "I have always been right" resonates as a mantra among those expecting a purge in the PSOE.

The political board: elections or resistance?

Reactions were immediate. On Telemadrid, journalist Antonio Naranjo pointed to "strong rumors" that Pedro Sánchez might call general elections. A desperate maneuver, according to some, to avoid being swallowed by the mud. But not everyone sees it clearly. "Sánchez is above the deep state," argue skeptical circles, and the president is a master of resistance. Aldama's strategy would be, for others, that of a convict seeking pardon in exchange for information: if he brings down Zapatero and Sánchez, the PP —his supposed savior— would spare him jail for hydrocarbon fraud. However, the move clashes with the reality of a judiciary that, although slow, continues its course.

Between credibility and cynicism: skepticism as refuge

Not everything is faith in Aldama's prophecies. One line of analysis argues that the character is an opportunist who has embraced his role, was already a confessed incivil, and now plays hero against corruption. "He got off lightly so he could keep talking," they say, suggesting the system uses him as a battering ram against the Government. Others, more cynical, recall that the PP and PSOE are the two pillars of the same regime: if one falls, the other wobbles. Therefore, they argue, the PP will not allow a total collapse of the PSOE, because business is business. With 45 years of alternation under their belt, the capacity for pact between the two major parties is infinite.

What comes next: the hydrocarbon trial and the shadow of SEPI

The next chapter, according to Aldama, will be big: the hydrocarbon scheme. "The big stuff is missing," he anticipated during his intervention. Also, Begoña Gómez —Sánchez's vvife— attempted to buy a SEPI building for 200 million euros surfaced, a datum that, if confirmed, would further stretch the tension. Meanwhile, the Government's defense prepares for an offensive in Congress: tomorrow Sánchez will appear and, according to parliamentary sources, will attack the PP, Feijóo, judges, and lawfare. Aldama, meanwhile, continues throwing fireballs from TV studios.

Anecdote: the 'CECOT effect' and punitive fantasies

Among the responses to his statements, one proposal caught attention: build a CECOT à la Bukele to lock up all corrupt officials, regardless of party labels. A fantasy reflecting the exhaustion of part of the electorate, but clashing with the reality of a system that rarely punishes its big fish. Meanwhile, Aldama keeps adding minutes of fame. And his history, for now, supports him.

Ironic conclusion: If Aldama's track record is as reliable as his creditors —who are numerous— perhaps we should start preparing moving boxes for the ex-president and the current tenant of La Moncloa. But, as always, the difference between a prophecy and news is time. And time, in Spain, is usually the enemy of certainties.