A key defendant in a high-profile corruption trial told a Madrid court on Thursday that Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez had no ties to the illicit scheme that has destabilized the country’s left-wing government.
The testimony provides a sharp contrast to previous statements made during the proceedings, specifically those of businessman Víctor de Aldama. Earlier in the week, Aldama delivered explosive testimony before the Supreme Court, alleging that Sánchez was the linchpin of corruption
and occupied the highest level of a criminal organization. Aldama claimed that profits from rigged public contracts were used to provide illegal cash donations to the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE).
The legal battle, known as the Caso Mascarillas
or the Koldo Case
, centers on the irregular awarding of emergency contracts for face masks during the Covid-19 pandemic. Prosecutors allege that former Transport Minister José Luis Ábalos abused his government position to benefit Aldama, with former adviser Koldo García acting as an intermediary in the network.
The stakes for the remaining defendants are significant. Prosecutors are seeking a 24-year prison sentence for Ábalos on charges including bribery, embezzlement, and membership of a criminal organization. Koldo García faces a potential sentence of 19 years, while Aldama, who has cooperated with investigators, faces a seven-year sentence.
“If there is a hierarchy in this case, Sánchez was at level one,” Víctor de Aldama, defendant
Aldama further alleged that he personally delivered cash bribes, sometimes carrying up to €250,000 in a backpack to the ministry. He claimed to have met Sánchez at a PSOE rally in February 2019, asserting that the Prime Minister thanked him for his actions. However, both Ábalos and García have consistently denied these allegations.
The PSOE has dismissed Aldama’s claims as lies
and a well-known defence strategy
designed to stir up controversy where no crimes were committed. A party spokesperson stated that the organization would not allow itself to be defamed with impunity
, maintaining that there is no illegal financing within the party.
The trial arrives as the Sánchez administration faces a cluster of parallel legal challenges involving the Prime Minister’s inner circle. Begoña Gómez, the Prime Minister’s wife, has been prosecuted for four crimes, including embezzlement and influence peddling, related to a chair at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid. The Prime Minister’s brother, David Sánchez, is under investigation for administrative prevarication, influence peddling, and embezzlement.
These developments have placed significant pressure on a leader who rose to power in 2018 on a platform of cleaning up Spanish politics following the corruption scandals that plagued the conservative Popular Party (PP).
While the court proceedings concluded on Thursday, judicial officials indicate that reaching a final sentence may take several months.
