18/06/2026 16:26 - Internacionales
Juez español golpeando mazo en tribunal con documentos del caso Plus Ultra al frente
Judge José Luis Calama of Spain's National Court (Audiencia Nacional) has made a crucial decision in the widely followed Plus Ultra case. At the request of the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office, the magistrate has agreed to investigate Alba and Laura Rodríguez Espinosa—the daughters of former Spanish Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero—as well as his personal secretary, Gertrudis Alcázar.
The judicial resolution, dated June 18, 2026, states that the investigation stems from their connection to a company called Whathefav, which is being examined for its potential role in channeling and concealing funds.
For international readers unfamiliar with Spanish politics, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero served as Prime Minister of Spain from 2004 to 2011, representing the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE). The Plus Ultra case centers on investigations into possible influence peddling and money laundering related to a public bailout of 53 million euros granted to Plus Ultra Airlines.
Investigators are examining whether illegal commissions were paid in exchange for managing this public aid, and how those funds may have been hidden through corporate structures. The airline received the rescue package during the COVID-19 pandemic, a decision that sparked controversy at the time.
According to El Mundo, the judge considers that the former prime minister's daughters, as formal administrators of Whathefav, are within the circle of persons potentially affected by the investigation.
The court order highlights that Alba and Laura are administrators of the company Whathefav. Investigators characterize this company as instrumental in receiving payments to Zapatero for his management services. This objective condition determines their summons as persons under investigation, preserving their fundamental rights and preventing them from testifying as witnesses only to later be forced to testify against themselves.
Regarding Gertrudis Alcázar, the magistrate indicates that her activities place her at a third level of the scheme, executing direct instructions from the former prime minister. According to reports from the Judicial Police Unit (Udef), the secretary was responsible for coordinating and preparing documentation that supported the network's operations, making her an essential operational piece in giving formal appearance to payments.
In the same resolution, the judge rejected other proposed measures. For instance, he dismissed the request to call former Minister of Transport José Luis Ábalos, his advisor Koldo García, and an official from SEPI (Spain's State Society of Industrial Participations) as persons under investigation. He also denied imposing a financial guarantee on Plus Ultra for unpaid debts, clarifying that the focus of the investigation is not the administrative rescue procedure itself, but rather the criminal conduct that may have influenced it.
Dates for the appearances of the new persons under investigation will be set in the coming days.
Alfredo S. Quiroga
