The builder Fernando Martín, former president of the promoter Martinsa and Real Madrid, has declared Tuesday before the magistrates of the National Court who prosecute the landing of the Gürtel plot in Arganda del Rey (Madrid) two decades ago. As, the businessman has recognized his involvement in the payment of a bite of 25 million euros to the corrupt network of Francisco Correa to ensure the award of a real estate ball in that municipality between 2004 and 2006, when the PP ruled in that town. “I, in the total of the operation, put seven million,” Martín told questions from the Anti -Corruption and in line prosecutor with the confession letter that he sent to the court on February 3, where he admits that he agreed and coordinated that irregular commission.
“Do you recognize the facts?” “The Public Ministry has asked first.”
“Yes,” the builder answered.
Throughout his statement, which has barely lasted a few minutes, Fernando Martín has summarized that Martinsa had been interested since the nineties in the so-called EU-124 Plan (Execution Unit 124), “A strategic piece of urban development” of Arganda, where “the City Council had the majority property of the land”, in the words of the popular former popular Ginés López, also accused in this trial ——. In this way, thanks to the contacts he had with Correa, the plot intermediate in favor of Martinsa before the local PP authorities to be awarded that project. “And, when we were in the process of negotiation, there was an express request that, if not paid, it was not,” said the former president of Real Madrid. “And that request of who was coming?” The prosecutor has inquired. “De Correa,” he answered.
With this recognition of crimes, Fernando Martín certifies his pact with anti -corruption to avoid entry into jail. The Public Ministry initially requested almost 20 years for him. However, as can be seen from the brief in accordance with the Court, it has been agreed to reduce that claim to a total of three years and four months in prison for the admission of five crimes (without any of the penalties separately for each of them exceeds two years) and the payment of a fine of more than 270,000 euros. Along these lines, the attenuating confession, undue delay and damage repair would be applied (in October 2024 he proceeded to pay the Tax Agency more than half a million euros of civil liability). And, as none of the penalties to impose for the five crimes would exceed two years in prison, his lawyer has already asked the hearing to suspend his entry into jail when “attending” the exceptional requirements set forth in the Criminal Code.
In his, Fernando Martín has already explained that Correa contacted him between the end of 2003 and the beginning of 2004 to “offer his intermediation before the political authorities of Arganda”, in the hands of the PP. The plot had been made with the control of that administration thanks to the fact that the conservative politicians had delivered it. “Correa behaved as the Master and owner of the City Council,”, former Regional Deputy and former CEO of the Municipal Development Company. The former president of Martinsa first saw himself with the leader of the corrupt network at the Fénix Gran Meliá Hotel in Madrid to close the details of the Amaño; And, after that appointment, they had more conversations to agree the size of the bite.
“It was agreed that, in exchange for guaranteeing the award in favor of Martinsa, Francisco Correa would charge by Fernando Martín a gift of 25 million euros,” said the former president of the construction company. And two payments were agreed. “With his fractional payment, Fernando Martín wanted to ensure that, in case vicissitudes arose in the execution, the City Council would not put pegas,” highlights the defense of the ex -president of Real Madrid. In this way, as detailed by the defendant, a month after the awarding of the plots in favor of Martinsa in November 2004 was approved, the first 12 million euros were transferred to an account of a belt company abroad. A year and a half later, in June 2006 and given the progress of the project, the second fertilizer of almost 13 million euros was made to “the sunny account that Arturo Fasana, financial manager of Francisco Correa, had in Switzerland”.
To cover the payment of that bite, Fernando Martín implies two more entrepreneurs, as admitted: the late Manuel Salinas, of the construction sector, and loving May, a known financial advisor of the real estate promoter. May has recognized him before the court on Tuesday. “Who invented to participate in this operation and these payments?” The prosecutor asked him. “Fernando Martín,” said May. According to this and the former Martinsa, Salinas took over the payment of the first 12 million through his accounts. And, as added, the payment of the remaining 12.8 million was made as follows: Fernando Martín put seven million; May, two million; And Salinas, another four million.
Fernando Martín, 77, was a powerful and influential businessman. Creator of the Martinsa real estate group in the nineties, he was considered one of the largest land owners in Spain, with shareholding in important companies such as Unión Fenosa, BBVA and Banco Santander. In addition, he entered the Directive Dome of Real Madrid in 2000 by the hand of the also businessman and builder Florentino Pérez, whom he replaced in the presidency of the club in February 2006 – a charge that he left at two months, after refusing to call elections. After exploding the financial crisis of 2007, Martinsa broke in 2008 and.
“God forgive them”
This Tuesday, the Court has also heard the confession of Josefa Aguado, and former deputy of the PP in the Regional Assembly. She has admitted that she participated in the fractionation of contracts to be able to justify the payment of 67,260 euros for the School Olympics event to Gürtel companies, although they had already “previously paid” another 89,000 euros. The exparliamentary explained that the former mayor called him to sign that operation, although he affirmed that he did not know that the fertilizers would double the plot. “May God forgive them,” he concluded.
The investigating judge sent 21 people to the bench for this part of the Gürtel casebut two have died before the view. Finally, of the 19 that are being judged, that are attributed to them. Only Luis Bremond, an official of the City of Arganda and legal advisor, has rejected a pact with the Public Ministry.
