The spokesperson for Sumar in Congress, Verónica Martínez Barbero, considers the statement released by José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, in which he denies any irregularity in the Plus Ultra case, to be insufficient. For this reason, she has demanded that someone who was a "referent" for the progressive space offer more explanations and act with greater transparency.
"Zapatero is a person who was very relevant for progressives in this country, he has been and continues to be, and therefore we would like a little more than a written statement," she said to the media in the corridors of Congress, also recalling that until recently the former president participated in PSOE electoral campaigns.
These words come after the former president denied before the National Court judge José Luis Calama having exerted pressure or influence for Pedro Sánchez's government to approve the 53 million euro rescue of the airline Plus Ultra during the pandemic.
In an intervention on "TVE", reported by Europa Press, Martínez Barbero added that citizens deserve a higher level of explanations and that, for Sumar, with respect for the work of justice and Zapatero's presumption of innocence, a mere denial of the facts and a call to trust in the integrity of the former president are not enough.
"Former president Zapatero is not just anyone. He is not for progressive citizens, he is not for the citizens of this country," she reiterated, emphasizing that society demands "much more information" about his activities and his role in this case.
Confidence that Sánchez will undertake the reform of former presidents
In parallel, Martínez Barbero has expressed her expectation that the current President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, will adopt Sumar's proposal to reform the statute of former presidents, which strengthens controls over their activities, along with other anti-corruption measures, in his appearance on June 24 in Congress.
At the same time, she has ruled out that Sumar is considering leaving the Government as a result of this issue, stressing that they will "work their hardest" to pressure the PSOE and push through more progressive policies. The party insists on disassociating the Executive from the case involving Zapatero.
"We are here, we are in the Government to govern for the social majority, to make laws and to take measures so that people live better. It doesn't seem logical to me to give that up," she stressed, remarking that she does not fear a motion of no confidence and that she finds it difficult to understand that a plurinational force like Junts could support an initiative that would bring the PP and Vox to La Moncloa.
IU and Compromís demand "very serious" clarifications
For his part, the parliamentary spokesperson for IU, Enrique Santiago, indicated that, apart from Zapatero's public statements, there are issues that require a "very serious explanation" from the former president, such as the origin of all those jewels. "It will be the courts that have to clarify," he added.
Along the same lines, the Compromís deputy integrated into the Sumar group, Alberto Ibáñez, pointed out that regarding Zapatero, the judicial plane must be differentiated from the public sphere. In the latter, he maintains, the former head of the Executive has to give many more explanations about his lobbying or the gifts he received during his time in La Moncloa. "Let him give explanations and be able to be trusted again," he concluded.