The judge of the Supreme Court, Leopoldo Puente, has not given the green light for the former Minister of Transport José Luis Ábalos to leave the Soto del Real prison (Madrid), where, to testify this Thursday in the investigative commission of the Koldo case of the Senate. The judge points out that given the “singular urgency of the request” of the PP, which has an absolute majority in that chamber, it is not possible to grant the interested authorization with such short notice, without prejudice to the possibility of “reproducing the request” for a “later time.”
Judge Puente issued a resolution this Wednesday in which he explained that the PP’s petition was submitted on December 30 and that it reached the Supreme Court through the “normatively provided channel” on January 2, 2026. The Organic Law of the Judiciary determines that the non-working period affects both the month of August and the period from January 24 to January 6, both inclusive.
“We hope that you choose the truth and explain how Sánchez’s candidacy in the primaries was financed, what irregularities there were, what was agreed with PNV and Otegi for the motion of censure, who ordered the companies involved in the plot to be hired, why Pedro Sánchez rehabilitated him and what he offered him for his silence,” in an appearance last Tuesday when he announced that Ábalos would be summoned to the investigative commission. for which they have enabled the month of January.
The investigative judge of the investigation, which has already concluded and is awaiting a trial date, had to decide if the former minister could appear in person or if, on the contrary, he enabled some other channel such as a telematic appearance so that he could comply with the popular summons.
For its part, the defense of the former Secretary of Organization of the PSOE has asked the Board of the Congress of Deputies to “reconsider” its decision, adopted on December 10, to suspend his parliamentary rights and duties until next week the Supreme Court analyzes his appeal to be released from provisional prison. when he noted that the suspension of his functions “violates democratic principles and the rule of law such as respect for procedures, separation of powers and equal treatment” and “damages institutional trust and the impartiality necessary for parliamentary and representative democracy.”
On January 15, the Criminal Chamber will analyze the arguments that the former minister’s defense has put on the table because it considers that there is no evidence of corruption against him, no risk of flight, violation of the right to political representation and use of provisional detention for purposes unrelated to the procedural institution.
