The PP has urged the PSOE this Wednesday to withdraw the membership card of former president José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero and to initiate an informative file against him for the "very serious crimes" for which he remains indicted by Justice, as indicated by the party in a statement.
During his appearance before the National Court judge José Luis Calama, Zapatero denied having exerted any type of pressure for Pedro Sánchez's Government to authorize the rescue of 53 million euros to the airline Plus Ultra in the midst of the pandemic, and also refused to comment on the jewels seized in his office and preliminarily valued at 1.3 million euros.
After that statement as an investigated party in the 'Plus Ultra case', the magistrate decided not to impose precautionary measures on Zapatero, such as the withdrawal of his passport that the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office had requested, understanding that there is no risk of flight or destruction of evidence.
"He left the National Court as he entered"
The PP has stressed that Rodríguez Zapatero, "the first former President of the Government cited as an indicted party," left the National Court "as he entered," since he remains "accused of seven very serious crimes." "He keeps his passport but also the indictment for all his crimes," the party emphasized.
"Judge Calama points out in his own order that Zapatero's statement as an investigated party has not managed to disprove the rational indications of criminality set forth in the indictment order and which derive from various and different sources of evidence," added the party led by Alberto Núñez Feijóo.
In this vein, the PP has remarked that the instructor highlights that "as of today" neither the origin nor the corresponding tax and customs liquidation of the jewels, valued at 1.3 million euros, found in Zapatero's office, has been able to be accredited.
Demands that Zapatero give public explanations
For this reason, the party has insisted that Zapatero's procedural situation "has not changed." "He entered this morning as indicted for criminal organization, influence peddling, misappropriation, document forgery, money laundering, smuggling, and tax fraud. And he left three hours later with the same accusations," it stated.
Likewise, the PP maintains that, once he has testified before the judge, "now" he should appear before the media. "He can travel, but not go too far: the judge will summon him again to answer all questions about the origin of the jewels worth 1.3 million euros found in his office. Questions that he refused to answer today," he added.
Consequently, the 'popular' party believes that "the PSOE is already taking too long to withdraw his party membership and open an informative file on the moral reference of the left for the very serious crimes for which he remains indicted by Justice."
The PP's statement concludes by assuring that Spaniards "demand to know the whole truth and a single authorization: that their voice be returned to them so they can vote and remove the most corrupt government in democracy."