Zapatero network derailed court probes in exchange for favours
Chats from the Plus Ultra scheme reveal that the Madrid prosecutors' office acted as an ally to release 34 million euros and have the case dismissed, with Zapatero's complicity.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
The network that derailed judicial investigations: Plus Ultra chats point to a deal with the prosecutors
A journalistic investigation has exposed how the scheme around Venezuelan airline Plus Ultra allegedly manoeuvred to block the action of Spain's justice system. The leaked chats show that the company's leadership regarded the Madrid prosecutors' office as a "friendly" faction, while Madrid's 42nd investigating court partially dismissed the case. The most flagrant episode came in the summer of 2021, when substitute judge Jaime Serret, in the absence of presiding judge Esperanza Collazos, released 34 million euros that had been frozen as part of the case against Plus Ultra.
The Madrid prosecutors' role in getting the case dismissed
According to legal sources cited in the article, the Madrid public prosecutors' office systematically sided with Plus Ultra's defence at the decisive moments. Most strikingly, the airline's own defence team saw the prosecutors as an ally, prompting some legal analysts to ask whether favours were traded to shut down the investigation. The network is said to have enjoyed the protection of former prime minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, who allegedly intervened to halt the investigation in exchange for unspecified consideration.
A scandal that will not go away: from the "kids" to lawfare
The Plus Ultra case adds to a long list of scandals touching the PSOE's circle, though this time the direct involvement of the judicial and prosecutorial apparatus has raised the stakes. Several analysts point out that in a country with genuine separation of powers, a case like this would have brought down the government. In Spain, however, the absence of political consequences reinforces the perception of impunity. According to the published report, the international community, especially the United States, is said to have put its intelligence tools to work to expose the scheme.
The question nobody answers
Why did the Madrid prosecutors' office act so favourably towards Plus Ultra's interests? Political connections and cross-cutting favours are the leading hypothesis, but neither the public prosecutors' office nor the government has offered any explanation. Meanwhile, the 34 million euros released and the court's decision to step aside leave more questions than answers about the true reach of this network of influence.
Related discussions in the forum
A journalistic investigation has exposed how the scheme around Venezuelan airline Plus Ultra allegedly manoeuvred to block the action of Spain's justice system. The leaked chats show that the company's leadership regarded the Madrid prosecutors' office as a "friendly" faction, while Madrid's 42nd investigating court partially dismissed the case. The most flagrant episode came in the summer of 2021, when substitute judge Jaime Serret, in the absence of presiding judge Esperanza Collazos, released 34 million euros that had been frozen as part of the case against Plus Ultra.
The Madrid prosecutors' role in getting the case dismissed
According to legal sources cited in the article, the Madrid public prosecutors' office systematically sided with Plus Ultra's defence at the decisive moments. Most strikingly, the airline's own defence team saw the prosecutors as an ally, prompting some legal analysts to ask whether favours were traded to shut down the investigation. The network is said to have enjoyed the protection of former prime minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, who allegedly intervened to halt the investigation in exchange for unspecified consideration.
A scandal that will not go away: from the "kids" to lawfare
The Plus Ultra case adds to a long list of scandals touching the PSOE's circle, though this time the direct involvement of the judicial and prosecutorial apparatus has raised the stakes. Several analysts point out that in a country with genuine separation of powers, a case like this would have brought down the government. In Spain, however, the absence of political consequences reinforces the perception of impunity. According to the published report, the international community, especially the United States, is said to have put its intelligence tools to work to expose the scheme.
The question nobody answers
Why did the Madrid prosecutors' office act so favourably towards Plus Ultra's interests? Political connections and cross-cutting favours are the leading hypothesis, but neither the public prosecutors' office nor the government has offered any explanation. Meanwhile, the 34 million euros released and the court's decision to step aside leave more questions than answers about the true reach of this network of influence.
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Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (9 replies).
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