The Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office has asked the judge to withdraw the passport of former Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero and to impose on him the obligation to appear to sign every fifteen days at the judicial headquarters, after his declaration as investigated in the 'Plus Ultra case' which is being handled by the National Court judge José Luis Calama.
Judicial sources have indicated to Europa Press, at the end of an interrogation that lasted three hours, that the former head of the Executive has denied before Calama having exerted any pressure for the Government of Pedro Sánchez to approve the rescue of 53 million euros to the airline Plus Ultra in the midst of the pandemic.
The popular accusation led by the PP has requested the same precautionary measures as the Public Prosecutor's Office and has detailed that Vox, Hazte Oír and Iustitia Europa—also parties to the case—are leaning towards ordering provisional detention for the former president, according to the same sources consulted.
It is now up to Judge Calama to decide on the requests made by both the Prosecutor's Office and the popular accusations, which have presented their claims in a hearing for precautionary measures once Zapatero's declaration was completed. At 1:00 p.m., the former leader left the headquarters of the National Court.
Zapatero arrived at the judicial building this Wednesday at 8:48 a.m. to answer for the rescue of the airline company and for the alleged influence he may have exerted for its concession, as well as for the jewelry seized in a safe in his office, whose preliminary valuation amounts to 1.3 million euros, a point on which he has chosen not to answer.
The former president accessed the building through the main entrance, usually reserved for judges, instead of the ordinary access for the public, by virtue of a request made by the Presidency of the Government for security reasons and which was accepted by the National Court.
Judge Calama decided to take Zapatero's statement as investigated, considering him the alleged leader of a "stable and hierarchical structure for influence peddling" for "the obtaining of economic benefits."