The inner circle of José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero has given its most detailed explanations to date this Monday on the content of the safe seized by the Police during the search of his professional office in Madrid. In an interview on Hora 25 on Cadena SER, Luis Arroyo, president of the Ateneo de Madrid and authorized spokesperson for the former president, stated that the located jewelry was valued by "someone" between 30,000 and 50,000 euros.
Arroyo maintained that these pieces come from "inheritances from both his family and his wife's" and from gifts accumulated over years. "They are not the jewels of Empress Sissi," he quipped during the interview, in which he defended the former president's innocence and assured that he speaks in an "authorized" capacity after holding conversations with him.
During his appearance, he also provided context on the financial situation of Zapatero and his family, stating that the former president and his wife sold a property with which they paid off their mortgage, bought a plot of land, and currently live in rented accommodation, while the safe was located in the professional office searched by investigators.
What the Police Found in the Office
Beyond the version offered by the former president's inner circle, the content of the search is included in the police report sent to the National Court Judge José Luis Calama, the investigating judge in the case.
According to the document, first reported by Europa Press, the Economic and Fiscal Crime Unit (UDEF) seized jewelry, watches, bracelets, necklaces, and other personal items stored in a safe located in Zapatero's professional office, at number 35 Ferraz street, in Madrid.
Among the items described are various jewelry pieces and a gold necklace with a plaque bearing the inscription "José Luis R.Z". But the search went far beyond the contents of the safe.
The agents also seized hard drives, mobile phones, USB drives, diaries, folders, and various documentation that are now part of the material incorporated into the investigation.
The report also states that two mobile phones belonging to Gertrudis Alcázar, the former president's secretary, were seized: one for personal use and another for professional use.
How the Safe Was Opened
One of the most striking details of the search was access to the safe. According to the police report, investigators went so far as to request the intervention of the Grupo Operativo de Intervenciones Técnicas (GOIT) of the National Police, specialized in technical openings.
However, it was ultimately not necessary to resort to that procedure. The document explains that the lawyer present during the proceeding proposed making a phone call with the aim of locating a key that would allow the safe to be opened.
Shortly thereafter, a person arrived with that key, which allowed the agents to access the contents without needing to force it.
The judicial context
The search is part of the investigation opened in the Audiencia Nacional against Zapatero within the so-called Plus Ultra case.
The case examines alleged influence peddling activities and other possible derivatives related to the public rescue of 53 million euros granted to the airline during the pandemic through the fund managed by the Sociedad Estatal de Participaciones Industriales (SEPI).
In parallel, Arroyo hinted on Cadena SER that the former president's defense might consider postponing his statement before the judge, although he specified that this decision rests exclusively with his lawyer.