A new operation in the Koldo case triggered a political clash in Spain after the Civil Guard's UCO unit detained six people and carried out searches in Madrid, Valencia, Córdoba and Seville. All those detained were later released. The operation was conducted as part of a new secret section of the investigation, opened by National Court Judge Ismael Moreno following a report by the UCO.
Agents searched the Valencia home of former Transport Minister José Luis Ábalos, who is in prison in connection with another part of the case. His partner, Andrea de la Torre, was questioned as a person under investigation but refused to testify. The UCO also visited the headquarters of state railway operator Adif, where it requested documents.
According to EFE, among those detained was businessman Cristian Corvillo, who was Pedro Sánchez's driver during the internal elections of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party in 2017. His brother was also detained. According to information published by Spanish media, the investigation is linked to alleged irregularities in the awarding of public contracts.
Secret section investigates public contracts
The investigation is examining allegations of influence peddling, participation in an organized criminal group, money laundering and tax fraud. No charges have been publicly announced against those detained so far, and the actions form part of a preliminary investigation.
The Koldo case began with alleged irregularities in the supply of protective masks during the pandemic. Its scope was subsequently expanded to public contracts in the transport sector, while a separate secret line of inquiry is also examining the reimbursement of expenses in the PSOE through cash payments.
The operation became a political problem for the Socialists, as it was carried out in the midst of the election campaign ahead of the parliamentary vote on November 29. Sánchez rejected any connection with those detained and said: “None of these people has anything to do with me.” He added that he was not familiar with the details of the new part of the investigation.
PSOE and People's Party trade accusations
At the same time, a dispute erupted over a claim made by Koldo García, Ábalos's former adviser. In an audio recording published by Cadena SER and quoted by El País, García claims that a lawyer linked to the People's Party offered him one million euros, coverage of his defense costs and assistance in securing a lighter sentence in exchange for information against Sánchez and his government. The claim has not been confirmed by a court ruling.
Sánchez called on People's Party leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo to provide explanations. The People's Party denied that its lawyer had made any such financial offer. EFE reported that the Socialists had urged the court to examine the claims, while the opposition described them as false.
The next procedural steps will depend on the analysis of the seized documents and data. The judge has kept the new section of the case secret, which is why the identities of all the people and the contracts under examination are not yet known.
Sources: rtve.es, efe.com, elpais.com