The judicial investigation into former Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero continues to escalate. The National High Court has ordered the blocking of bank accounts linked to the case being handled by Judge José Luis Calama for an alleged scheme of influence peddling, money laundering, and criminal organization related to the Plus Ultra bailout.
The new precautionary measures come just days after searches carried out by the Police and the formal indictment of the former socialist leader, who has been summoned to testify on June 2nd before the National High Court.
According to information published this Thursday by various media outlets, the magistrate has ordered asset freezes while the tracking of transfers, companies, and financial movements allegedly used to channel suspicious funds advances.
An investigation focused on companies and financial movements
The judicial case focuses on several companies linked to the former president's circle and on economic operations that, according to investigators, could have been used to hide the origin and destination of certain amounts of money.
Among the companies appearing in the investigation are firms such as Whathefav, Sofgestor, or Análisis Relevante, some of them registered just this week by court order.
Investigators are trying to determine if an organized structure existed to influence public decisions and subsequently move funds through various intermediary companies.
The judge is investigating alleged crimes of criminal organization, influence peddling, document forgery, and money laundering.
The judicial order tightens the former president's situation
The resolutions known so far describe a particularly delicate scenario for Zapatero. The magistrate places the former president as the alleged "decision-making core" of the investigated structure, an expression that has caused a strong political and media impact.
The investigation also analyzes millionaire payments and transfers linked to individuals and companies within the alleged scheme.
However, for the moment, no conclusive direct evidence such as audios, messages, or conversations that unequivocally prove the alleged influences under investigation have emerged, a circumstance on which the former president's circle bases part of his defense.
Political and judicial pressure on the case
The evolution of the case has intensified political pressure on the PSOE and on Zapatero himself.
While some popular accusations demand more severe measures, including the withdrawal of his passport or even provisional detention, sectors of the Government are trying to downplay the legal scope of the ruling, while internally admitting the seriousness of the accusations contained in the judicial resolution.
The case also threatens to become one of the main sources of political wear and tear for the progressive bloc in the midst of the pre-campaign for the upcoming general elections.
What can happen now
The next major judicial event will be Zapatero's declaration as investigated on June 2nd in the National Court.
From then on, the judge will have to decide whether to maintain or expand the precautionary financial measures and whether the investigation incorporates new documentary, financial, or technological evidence that reinforces the accusations.
The case thus enters a decisive phase, marked by the analysis of accounts, companies, and economic movements that could determine the real scope of the alleged scheme being investigated.