Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez may find himself running out of excuses to offer the public in the ‘Koldo case,’ involving alleged corruption linked to the irregular awarding of contracts for face masks during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The businessman Victor de Aldama, nicknamed “the corruptor” by investigators, gave two hours of testimony on Wednesday, November 22nd before the judge investigating him for corruption. The case stems from government purchases worth some €30 million worth of PPE face masks and COVID testing kits made during the pandemic—possibly involving illegally made public contracts and illegal commissions given to politicians.
The Guardia Civil, the police force that undertook the investigation, had already pointed to several high-ranking socialists—including government ministers and regional presidents in the case—but Aldama’s testimony added to the list. He also explained his personal connection to Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez himself and explained the diplomatic missions he had carried out for Sánchez with Mexico and Venezuela. He confirmed the claims of multiple reports already circulating in Spanish media.
Aldama, an entrepreneur, told the judge he was brought in as an advisor for José Luis Ábalos, transportation minister in Sánchez first government, by Koldo García in 2018. That year the political tide in Spain moved in Sánchez’s favor and he wrested the government from the Partido Popular through a no-confidence vote and his subsequent election as PM. At that point, Garcia was already a confidant and advisor to Ábalos.
In his new post, as Aldama told the judge, he helped distribute money from the sanitary materials contracts to socialist politicians. More seriously, he described how it worked as an established system of “coupons” within the socialist party. He said that Ábalos specifically received more than €400,000 and Koldo Garcia another €250,000. Socialist congressman and high-ranking party member Santos Cerdan received a commission of €15,000 delivered in an envelope in a bar in front of the party headquarters. Elsewhere the current Minister of Territorial Policy Angel Victor Torres, then president of the Canary Islands, got a piece of the pie worth €50,000, according to Aldama’s testimony.
It also clarified the question of Aldama’s personal relationship with Pedro Sánchez. Doubts were raised by Spanish media after Aldama appeared in a photo with the PM during a party function. Sánchez has claimed their appearance together was pure coincidence and that he does not know Aldama, but Aldama told the judge that he had in fact been told to attend the event specifically because Sánchez wanted to meet him and that Sánchez thanked him for the work he was doing. He added that he was not a member or even a supporter of the socialist party.
“The photo was not fortuitous”, said the businessman.
Sánchez discredited Aldama’s testimony as “categorically false” and challenged the defendant to prove all of his allegations.
Aldama had testified as part of an agreement to cooperate with investigators in exchange for a provisional release from prison. He was released on Thursday, November 21st. This is expected to have been just the first installment of revelatory testimony from Aldama. As he left the prison facility, he told reporters regarding the prime minister, “he shouldn’t worry. He will get his proof.”
