The president of the Ateneo de Madrid, Luis Arroyo, a figure close to José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero and who acted as the authorized spokesperson for the former president in the early hours after the search of his office, has apologized for "having misled about the value of the socialist leader's jewelry."
The Ansorena jewelry store, to which the judge of the Audiencia Nacional José Luis Calama, the investigating judge of the 'Plus Ultra case', commissioned an official appraisal, has set the value of the jewelry found in a safe in Zapatero's office at 1.3 million euros. This valuation was carried out with the collaboration of the Spanish Gemological Institute, according to sources linked to the case confirmed to Europa Press.
In contrast, Luis Arroyo, in his capacity as authorized spokesperson for the former President of the Government, had stated that the pieces would be valued "between 30,000 and 50,000 euros," a figure that, as he explained, had been provided to him by the former head of the Executive himself. Zapatero's secretary, for her part, attributed the origin of these jewels to the family inheritance of Sonsoles Espinosa, wife of the former socialist leader, and to "gifts from trips."
Given this discrepancy, Arroyo has rectified and apologized through a message disseminated on the social network 'X'. "I apologize in my own name for having misled about the value of President Zapatero's jewelry," he stated in said publication.
The also president of the Ateneo de Madrid added that Zapatero "will give explanations to the judge," including those relating to the jewelry, during his appearance as an investigated person at the Audiencia Nacional on June 17 and 18.
At the same time, Arroyo has asserted that he "always" tries "to inform with honesty and truthfulness." "I cannot conceive of communication in any other way. Thank you," he concluded in his message on 'X'.