The former president of ADIF, Isabel Pardo de Vera, has declared this Wednesday before the Supreme Court within the framework of the trial for the masks case that she warned former Minister of Transport José Luis Ábalos of the existence of a possible “conflict of interest” after learning of his relationship with Jésica Rodríguez, which motivated the decision not to renew his contract in a public company.
According to her testimony, Pardo de Vera considered that the situation made Rodríguez's continuity in her position within Ineco unviable, as she was linked to works related to ADIF. In that context, she assures that she contacted Ábalos directly to convey the decision to him.
“Cannot continue”
During her appearance, the former head of ADIF explained that, after communicating the situation, the then minister responded to her that what she decided was “well done”, according to her version before the court.
Pardo de Vera stressed that at no time did she receive political instructions to maintain the hiring and that the decision was based exclusively on incompatibility criteria.
Without complaints about the work and without intervention in new hirings
The former executive has insisted that no complaint was conveyed to her about Rodríguez's professional performance, despite the fact that it was later known that the worker would have received remunerations without actually performing effective activity, according to her own testimony in court.
Likewise, he has denied any intervention in a second contracting linked to another public company, in this case Tragsatec, categorically ruling out having mediated in that process.
A case under the magnifying glass of the Supreme Court
The statements by Pardo de Vera are part of the investigation that analyzes possible irregularities in the hiring of personnel in public companies linked to the Ministry of Transport during the Ábalos period.
The case continues open and the Supreme Court continues collecting testimonies to determine if administrative or criminal responsibilities existed in the management of these contracts.