The headquarters of his Socialist Party were raided by Spanish investigators on Wednesday, according to Spain’s National Court. The raid comes as scandals surround the Spanish leader, such as the bailout of a Spanish airline, a public contract kickback scheme and a newfound rivalry with U.S. President Donald Trump, Politico reported.
“How many more raids? How many more kickbacks,” Spanish conservative opposition leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo said, according to Politico. Feijóo said that the Spanish government is now in its “death throes.”
The Spanish Civil Guard’s elite Central Operative Unit was sent to obtain alleged evidence concerning a scheme to discredit critics involved in cases against the Spanish government, Politico reported, citing Spain’s National Court.
Socialist Party Financial Manager Ana Fuentes was also indicted for her alleged role in the corruption case, Politico reported.
Spain has recently become a leader in opposition to the U.S. military’s participation in the Iran War. The European country closed its airspace to all U.S. aircraft on March 30, Euronews reported, citing Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares.
“Spain should not do anything that could escalate [the conflict],” Euronews reported, citing Manuel Albares.
Spain’s third-largest political party VOX criticized the alleged corruption in a statement on X from Ignacio Garriga, the secretary-general of the party. VOX is described as a “populist radical right party” by the London School of Economics.
“While the government was robbing Spaniards with abusive taxes, it was dismantling public services,” Garriga said in the statement. “A mafia that came to power with the greatest act of corruption possible, with an Amnesty Law.”
VOX, the Spanish embassy in Washington, the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party, the White House and the Spanish Prime Minister’s communications office in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
‘Due In Spanish Court’
The raid in Madrid has renewed interest in former Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, who is battling his own corruption allegations. He is due in Spanish court on June 17, Politico reported.
The corruption case surrounding a government bailout for Plus Ultra airline allegedly involves €53 million during the COVID-19 crisis, where Zapatero received €2.6 million from a criminal network that was able to push the deal through, Politico reported. The criminal network allegedly has ties to Venezuela and China.
This is bad for Sánchez because Zapatero has become a close ally of the current Spanish administration, Politico reported. Sánchez has openly supported Zapatero.
“[The administration has] full cooperation with the justice system, full respect for the presumption of innocence of Mr Zapatero and all my support for [him],” Politico reported, citing Sánchez.
Sánchez has announced his reelection bid for next year, The New York Times reported. His rivalry with Trump will likely be front and center in his campaign, according to the Times.
This scandal may be affecting voter turnout for the Socialist Party. Four regional elections were held in Spain throughout May, and the Socialist Party lost all of them to the People’s Party, Politico reported.
The future of Spain’s political climate remains uncertain as these alleged corruption cases make their way through the Spanish National Court.
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