Spain’s former prime minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero has been placed under formal investigation by the country’s top criminal court on suspicion of influence peddling and related offences, the court announced on Tuesday. He is the first Spanish prime minister, current or former, to be formally investigated by the judiciary since the transition to democracy after the death of dictator Francisco Franco in 1975.
The probe forms part of the so‑called Plus Ultra case, which examines a €53 million bailout of the Spanish carrier Plus Ultra in 2021 by the state holding company SEPI using COVID‑19 recovery funds. Prosecutors are investigating whether the aid was properly approved and whether there was undue influence in the decision, given concerns raised about the airline’s financial health and whether it qualified as a strategic asset.
Critics have pointed to Zapatero’s business ties in Venezuela, where some Plus Ultra shareholders have connections, and say those links could have played a role in facilitating the aid. Zapatero has been summoned to testify before a judge on June 2.
The announcement comes as Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, a fellow Socialist and political ally of Zapatero, faces mounting scrutiny in separate inquiries into alleged kickbacks involving close associates and probes that touch members of his family. The parallel investigations have intensified political tensions in Madrid.
The conservative People’s Party has seized on the developments, repeatedly highlighting Zapatero’s Venezuelan links and accusing him and Sánchez of using family ties for enrichment. The PP described Zapatero as Sánchez’s “muse” and contrasted the corruption allegations now aimed at both figures.
The Socialist party has defended Zapatero, calling the investigation politically motivated and stressing his record in office. Zapatero, who served as prime minister from 2004 to 2011, has publicly denied any wrongdoing. During his terms he led landmark policies such as withdrawing Spanish troops from Iraq and legalising same‑sex marriage, and his supporters say his government expanded rights and social protections.
The High Court’s examination will focus on the authorisation and oversight of the Plus Ultra aid, the airline’s eligibility for state support, and any links between decision‑makers and interested parties. The case is likely to remain a focal point of political debate in Spain as both legal proceedings and political manoeuvring continue.