The Executive recognizes that the judicial order by which former Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero is charged for, allegedly, leading an influence peddling scheme is a “serious” document that contains indications, although it assures to feel calmer by not appreciating conclusive incriminating evidence against the former socialist leader.
Government sources highlight that the order from judge José Luis Calama, of the Audiencia Nacional, which attributes to Zapatero alleged crimes of criminal organization, influence peddling, and document forgery, does not include messages, conversations, or audios that prove influence peddling. As they point out, the collected indications are based on testimonies from third parties related to the activities of the alleged scheme.
Likewise, they emphasize that Zapatero does not appear as the owner of any company and that all income would have been made to his personal account.
Zapatero, "moral beacon" of the PSOE
In Moncloa, they do not rule out that new evidence may appear later, although for now they cling to the absence of conclusive evidence to maintain their support for Zapatero, whom they continue to consider a “moral beacon” for socialism.
However, they admit that this judicial order is not related to other judicial actions that the Government had publicly discredited, such as the investigation by judge Juan Carlos Peinado against Begoña Gómez, wife of the Prime Minister. Although they also do not observe evidence as conclusive as that presented by the Central Operative Unit (UCO) of the Civil Guard against the former socialist Organization Secretary Santos Cerdán, which precipitated his immediate departure.
On Tuesday morning, after Zapatero's indictment became known, the PSOE came out in his defense, insinuating a political use of Justice and alluding to the PP's slogan of “whoever can do it, do it.” However, now the Executive distances itself from that thesis and admits that that reaction could have been hasty, since at that moment they did not know the full content of the order.
Different government partners, such as Sumar, Compromís, and Podemos, have also toned down the initial accusations of judicial dirty war against Zapatero. “It is no longer so clear” that ‘lawfare’ has existed, said Compromís deputy Águeda Micó this Wednesday upon her arrival at Congress.
The Government maintains its support as long as no evidence appears
The Government thus maintains a “strong defense” of former President Zapatero, although it specifies that this support will continue as long as proven evidence does not emerge.
The socialist spokesperson in Congress, Patxi López, expressed himself along these lines in the corridors of the Lower House this Wednesday. “I will continue to defend him until the contrary is proven,” he stated, urging the Justice system to “put evidence on the table.”
From the rostrum of Congress, the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, defended the former president by focusing on his political legacy, recalling the withdrawal of Spanish troops from the “illegal” war in Iraq, the end of ETA, and the expansion of social rights. “All my support for President Zapatero,” he affirmed.
Sánchez has appealed to the presumption of innocence and has offered "all his support" to Zapatero after his indictment. However, the leader of the opposition, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, has called for his resignation so that he does not continue to "tarnish" the Presidency of the Government: "It is a very hard time, very hard for all Spaniards who strive every day while their government steals with both hands. And he is right. Spain is governed by corrupt people and I will take care of changing all of this," Feijóo promised in the session of control to the Government in the Plenary of Congress.