Judge José Luis Calama has asked the United States authorities to provide the National Court with information about people who are being investigated in the so-called. Sources from the investigation have confirmed to EL PAÍS that the instructor has adopted this decision within the framework of a separate piece that he keeps secret and in which he delves into the accounts of the accused abroad.
The head of the Central Court of Instruction Number 4 has agreed to a rogatory commission in which he requests judicial assistance from the US authorities. This measure is part of the procedure in which alleged irregularities linked to 2021 are investigated. This week the indictment of the former President of the Government José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero for his alleged participation in this alleged plot was announced. The judge places the former leader of the socialists as the one for “obtaining economic benefits through intermediation and the exercise of influence before public bodies in favor of third parties”, mainly the airline company that gives its name to the investigation.
In the resolution in which Zapatero’s accusation was agreed, Calama revealed that. Specifically, he assured that said US body had made available to the Spanish Central Money Laundering and Anti-Corruption Investigation Brigade the content of the information intercepted in the mobile phone of one of those investigated, the businessman Rodolfo Reyes Rojas.
The judge included two other references to the United States in that resolution. On the one hand, in the epigraph in which the alleged “final beneficiaries” of the plot are addressed. And, on the other hand, in the section in which it delves into the alleged participation of the company Sofgestor. Calama stressed that the available tax information reveals that “Softgestor’s main clients are companies based in the United States with links to Venezuela.” Precisely this Friday, the instructor has confirmed the appearance of the lawyer of this company who already appears in the case “as investigated.”
Now, sources in the case tell this newspaper that the judge is interested in continuing to receive collaboration from the United States to delve deeper into the investigations he is directing in Madrid. , businessman Julio Martínez Martínez has deposited in bank funds in Miami (United States). He is a businessman from Alicante who, in addition to being the sole administrator of , is a friend of running of Zapatero and administrator of the company that signed a contract with Plus Ultra to receive a 1% commission from the airline’s rescue. Calama suspects that this consulting firm (which received payments from the airline company and made payments to the former president and his entourage).
Agents from the Economic and Fiscal Crime Unit (UDEF) of the National Police arrested Martínez Martínez on December 11. That day they also carried out several searches. One of the computers that was seized contained correspondence with one of those responsible for the account abroad. Investigation sources maintain that it is a private investment bank and that, apparently, this money was moved years ago from Luxembourg to Miami. The same sources specify that the account was active in 2025, when movements of around 200,000 euros were made. At the moment, these United States funds are not linked to the rescue of the Plus Ultra airline.
[Noticia en elaboración. Habrá ampliación]
