Moncloa has closed ranks with former President of the Government José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero. It did so this Tuesday after learning of his indictment in the Audiencia Nacional and has done so today in the session of control to the Executive.
However, his partners have not been so benevolent this Wednesday after reading the order by which Judge José Luis Calama summons Zapatero as investigated for alleged crimes of influence peddling, criminal organization, and document forgery in the framework of the Plus Ultra case.
"Influence peddling, money laundering (...) I am not objective, I have enormous respect and affection for Zapatero, but I also have eyes in my face," lamented the ERC spokesperson in the Lower House, Gabriel Rufián, with the 88 pages of that judicial order in his hand, by which the former socialist leader will sit on the accused's bench next June 2.
Partners cast doubt on an alleged case of lawfare
This is the taste left by the indictment in an important part of the partners. "Where does lobbying end and influence peddling begin? If this is true, it's shit," Rufián warned from his seat to the socialist bench in the control session.
On Tuesday, after the indictment became known, the partners raised more doubts about the real dimension of the case. The Podemos MEP Irene Montero responded to journalists about whether we could be facing a case of "lawfare," that is, the use of justice for political purposes.
"The right wing really wants former President Zapatero (...) it speaks ill of a democratic system that has a former president accused of sexual assault like Adolfo Suárez; Felipe González, corruption and the GAL; Aznar, a war criminal; M. Rajoy and a patriotic police force to attack political adversaries."
However, the purple ones have expressed themselves today in a radically different tone. The general secretary of Podemos, Ione Belarra, has acknowledged that the judicial situation of the former President of the Government is worrying. "It doesn't look good," she stated when asked in the corridors of Congress. The leader of Podemos avoided delving into her assessment, although she evidenced the concern generated by an investigation that has shaken the foundations of Moncloa.
In the same vein, the Compromís deputy, Águeda Micó, expressed herself upon arriving at Congress, alleging that it is "no longer so clear" that 'lawfare' has occurred.
Government sources acknowledged this Wednesday that the ruling is a "serious" document that contains indications, although they continue to show calm by not seeing conclusive incriminating evidence against the former socialist leader. "All my support for President Zapatero," reaffirmed the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, from his seat in Congress.
The PNV calls for prudence
The PNV has been more cautious in making any accusations. Interrogated by journalists moments before entering the hemicycle, the spokesperson for the jeltzales in the Lower House, Maribel Vaquero, referred to what she already said yesterday: "We are waiting, the investigation is in its early stages, therefore, let's see how events unfold."
On Tuesday, the Basque nationalists described the charges against the former socialist president as "serious," although they qualified the advisability of acting with prudence and waiting for the investigation phase to conclude.
For their part, Junts has not commented on the matter this Wednesday, although yesterday, its spokesperson in the Parliament, Salvador Vergés, asked for respect for the presumption of innocence of José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero. "Let the facts be clarified and the presumption of innocence be respected. Although if any party has suffered from the non-respect of the presumption of innocence, it has been us," he said.
Sumar asks for "time" to resolve the facts
It is precisely this prudence that the socialists' main partner appeals to. The spokesperson for Sumar in Congress, Verónica Barbero, has called for the facts to be investigated "to the end," although she warned that it is a procedure that will likely "take time."
"Judges have to do their job and, from there, it is not strange that diverse scenarios are contemplated," Barbero said as she left the Plenary Session of Congress.
The Sumar leader also stressed the need to clearly define the role of lobbying groups in politics. "Of course, we have to develop and see how far the limit of lobbies is," she stated. In fact, Spain does not have specific regulation on this activity and two initiatives on the matter are stalled in Congress.
Thus, Barbero insisted that the judicial process must have the "maximum collaboration" from the Government and all involved entities.
On Tuesday, the spokesperson for Sumar expressed her doubts about the nature of the indictment and also suggested that it could be a new case of lawfare. In statements to the media, the leader of the minority partner in the Government insisted that, in any case, the investigation opened against Zapatero is a strictly personal matter and stressed that it is not related to the actions of Pedro Sánchez's Executive.