Zapatero Implicated in Plus Ultra Rescue: The Case Shaking the PSOE

The Plus Ultra Rescue and Zapatero's Implication: The Keys to the Case Shaking the PSOE

The former president José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero is at the center of one of the most uncomfortable judicial investigations for the PSOE. The National High Court designates him as the “decision-making and strategic core” of a network of influence peddling that allegedly profited from the rescue of Plus Ultra airline. However, the case is not a simple episode of corruption: it combines overweights of up to 10 tons on flights, fake invoices, offshore companies, and a shareholding structure that the government validated with incorrect data.

A 53 Million Rescue Package with Venezuelan Control

The Council of Ministers approved a rescue package of 53 million euros for Plus Ultra, a Hispano-Venezuelan airline. The SEPI validated the operation on the premise that effective control of the company lay in Spanish hands. But according to published information, the airline president confessed to the judge that the real control belonged to the Venezuelan, Rodolfo Reyes. In other words, the rescue was allegedly approved based on a falsified shareholding structure. The question that arises is how this passed the filter of Treasury and Social Security, which issued favorable reports.

The Judge's Indictments: Fake Invoices and a Network of 40 Companies
The ruling by Judge Calama, according to leaks, provides multiple indications that Zapatero helped secure the rescue and was paid for it. Reports from UDEF describe a network of almost 40 companies, some offshore, 'ad hoc' invoices, and payments for phantom work. Former Plus Ultra executives allegedly confirmed the payment of a 'bribe' to the former president. Furthermore, the judge notes that Zapatero’s daughters used personal funds for acquisitions and early cancellation of loans. The Tax Agency took 570 days to investigate Zapatero, a detail that cannot be overlooked.

The Government's Reaction: Unified Defense and Suspicions of Obstruction
Pedro Sánchez compelled ministers and socialist leaders to defend Zapatero before the ruling. Not by choice, but out of a sheer instinct for survival, according to El Debate’s analysis. Meanwhile, the investigation has faced setbacks: SEPI eliminated documents after the judicial inquiry began, and the Ministry of the Interior dissolved the unit investigating irregularities at Plus Ultra, the Ares team. It has also been suggested that the scheme attempted to derail the case in the Prosecutor's Office, using the excuse that the chief prosecutor was a friend.
The Barajas commissioner in 'Delcygate' allegedly received gratuities from the 'Zapatero Group' for facilitating illicit business.

The Context: Drug Trafficking, Barbate, and European Pressure
The Plus Ultra case intersects with another front: the fight against drug trafficking. Europe has concluded that the Minister of the Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, 'obstructed' his investigation into the death of the civil guards in Barbate and demands the recovery of the specialized anti-drug unit. Furthermore, the Trump administration is investigating Bono for links to companies related to drug trafficking. All of this paints a scenario where 'narcosocialism' has become the term summarizing the alleged complicity between political power and illicit schemes.

The implication of Zapatero is not a verdict. But the ruling from the National High Court, the confessions of Plus Ultra executives, and the disappearance of documents suggest that the case has merit. If the judge confirms the indications, the PSOE will have to decide whether it continues protecting its former president or lets him fall. For now, the story remains open.