Koldo case verdicts that threaten Spain's PM Sánchez

Koldo case sentences open the door to plea deals that could reach Sánchez

Spain's Supreme Court is preparing to deliver its verdict in the face mask case. According to the leaks circulating, José Luis Ábalos faces between 10 and 14 years in prison (he would serve 6 to 9), Koldo García between 8 and 11 years (around 5-6 effectively), and Víctor de Aldama, the confessed middleman, could walk free with barely two years thanks to his cooperation with the justice system. Chief prosecutor Alejandro Luzón highlighted his cooperation, and the court is considering reducing his sentence to the minimum.

The Aldama effect: who will be the next to talk?

The key to the debate lies in the message sent by such a lenient sentence for Aldama: cooperate and you get off lightly. Names like Santos Cerdán or Leire Díaz are now in the spotlight. If any of them can prove that Pedro Sánchez personally ordered the operations, the PSOE (Spain's Socialist Party) could face an earthquake. The thread speculates that a strategic plea deal, agreed with the prosecution, could keep a defendant out of prison in exchange for delivering the Prime Minister.

The pardon alternative: a bird in the hand or two in the bush

The other option for the convicted is to stay silent and hope Sánchez remains at Moncloa (the PM's residence) to grant them a pardon. But a final verdict narrows the margin: if it arrives before Sánchez can pardon them, the temptation to talk grows. The Supreme Court has already handed down the first final conviction against the Government's inner circle, and the judicial account exposes the scheme. As one analysis points out, the promise of a pardon is less secure than an immediate sentence reduction for cooperating.

The coming weeks will be decisive. If any defendant decides to talk, the political board could be turned upside down. If not, the PSOE will breathe a sigh of relief, but the shadow of corruption will remain.