The leader of the PP, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, has once again called on the Government’s partners to stop supporting Sánchez. “The situation of political agony, the unbearable atmosphere,” he lamented in the corridors of Congress. Feijóo’s statements came after it was revealed that the UCO entered early this morning the central headquarters of the PSOE on Madrid’s Ferraz street to request documentation from the PSOE regarding the SEPI case. The UCO is also conducting searches at the homes of former socialist leaders Gaspar Zarrías and Santos Cerdán, and businessman Javier Pérez Dolset. During the control session of the Executive, the PP and Vox asked several questions to the vice presidents Carlos Cuerpo, Yolanda Díaz, and Sara Aagesen about how they endure in a Government that the popular party labels as “corrupt.” Cuerpo defended “zero tolerance towards any kind of irregular or illegal behavior or conduct” and called for “respect for judicial processes and the presumption of innocence.” The session is not attended by the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, who is visiting Rome to meet with Pope Leo XIV. The Spanish leader is scheduled to hold a press conference starting at 11, the first after the indictment of former president José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero.
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Sumar reminds PSOE that irregular financing “is a red line”
The parliamentary spokesperson of IU and Sumar deputy, Enrique Santiago, warned PSOE this Wednesday that irregular financing “is a red line” to remain in the Government. “We have always been absolutely cautious with these issues,” Santiago said when asked about the UCO searches at Ferraz, the socialists’ headquarters. “Illegal financing situations cannot be allowed.” “We have said a thousand times that if there is a case of irregular financing, for us it would be a red line.”
The deputy also accused PP leaders of having gone to the US embassy to “receive instructions related” to the indictment of former president José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero.
“Mr. Feijoo, Mr. Abascal, and the head of the PP, Mrs. Ayuso, have to explain what they were doing last week at the US embassy. They must explain if they are coordinating some kind of action that ends up in Spanish courts and if they are taking advantage of this situation around Mr. Zapatero to whitewash what are illicit activities to avoid unilateral and illegal sanctions under international law,” he stated.
National Court
Expansion | The UCO goes to Ferraz to request documentation on the ‘SEPI case’ in which Leire Díez is indicted
Agents of the Central Operative Unit (UCO) of the Civil Guard went early this Wednesday to the federal headquarters of the PSOE, on Madrid’s Ferraz street, to request documentation within the investigation of the so-called Leire case led by the National Court judge Santiago Pedraz, according to EL PAÍS from sources close to the investigations. The members of the armed institute are also conducting several home searches, including those of former socialist leaders Gaspar Zarrías and Santos Cerdán, as well as businessman Javier Pérez Dolset, the same sources add.
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The Civil Guard searches the homes of former socialist leaders Zarrías and Cerdán
UCO agents are also conducting several home searches, including those of former socialist leaders Gaspar Zarrías and Santos Cerdán, as well as businessman Javier Pérez Dolset, according to sources close to the investigations.
Vox assures it will work so that the Government responds “politically and criminally for all the damage done to Spaniards”
Pepa Millán (Vox) states that “resignation for this Government would be too dignified an exit.” “We will work to oust them and not only for that, but also so that they respond politically and criminally for all the damage they are doing to Spaniards.”
PP deputies attack the Government over corruption cases
Jaime de Olano (PP) also addresses the first vice president and Minister of Economy, Carlos Cuerpo. “You remain silent, give no explanations, do not account, and certainly do not take responsibility, and that, Mr. Cuerpo, is not democratic,” he said. “Mr. Cuerpo, remaining silent in the face of such a cesspool of corruption is not neutrality, not even equidistance, it is complicity on your part.”
“This dialogue is absurd,” Cuerpo concluded.
Cuerpo defends the management of European funds by the Government
Juan Bravo (PP) takes the floor, posing another question to the first vice president and Minister of Economy, Carlos Cuerpo. Bravo attacks the Ministry of Economy’s management of the Next Generation European funds. “You are the worst of the worst in the execution of the funds. How will the funds work if you are the first one who does not work?” he said and insisted on calling for early elections.
“Rest assured that European funds have not been used for payments that do not correspond to them,” Cuerpo said.
Pedro Sánchez upon arrival at the San Dámaso courtyard of the Apostolic Palace of the Vatican. / Yara Nardi / REUTERS
Pedro Sánchez arrives at the Vatican for his first meeting with Leo XIV
The Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, has already arrived at the Vatican for an audience with Pope Leo XIV, which will be their first meeting, just days before the Pope’s visit to Spain and in full harmony with the messages the pontiff is sending regarding the war or the challenge of AI. Later, starting at 11, the president will hold a press conference.
Sánchez arrived at the San Dámaso courtyard of the Apostolic Palace at 8:45 local time and was received by Bosnian Archbishop Peter Rajic, the new prefect of the Pontifical Household, and by the gentlemen who accompanied him to the third loggia where the library is located, the place where meetings with heads of State and Government are held.
The pope will receive him in the Tronetto Room and then they will enter the Library for the private meeting. After the meeting and the traditional moment of exchanging gifts, the Prime Minister will hold a meeting with the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin. Sánchez and the pope already had a telephone conversation at the beginning of the current pontificate in which they discussed the migration crisis and the need to build bridges to resolve conflicts in the world, according to the Vatican. (Efe)
Cuerpo defends the Government’s “zero tolerance” “towards any kind of irregular attitude”
PP spokesperson Ester Muñoz addresses the first vice president and Minister of Economy, Carlos Cuerpo, and asks him about the UCO search at Ferraz currently taking place.
Cuerpo defended “zero tolerance towards any kind of irregular or illegal behavior or conduct” and called for “respect for judicial processes and the presumption of innocence.”
Cuerpo defended the Government’s work to place Spain “in a leadership position in terms of international growth.”
The Government control session begins
The PP and Vox will take advantage of this Wednesday’s Government control session in the Plenary of Congress to pose several questions to the three vice presidents, Carlos Cuerpo, Yolanda Díaz, and Sara Aagesen, in order to find out how they endure in a Government that the popular party labels as “corrupt” and what is “their limit” to continue being part of it. In the absence of the President of the Government, the opposition wants to demand explanations in the Lower House from the three vice presidents regarding corruption cases related to former PSOE leaders, especially after the recent indictment of former president José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero for the Plus Ultra case.
Feijóo again calls on partners to stop supporting Sánchez: “The situation of political agony, the unbearable atmosphere”
The leader of the PP, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, just spoke in the corridors of Congress, after El Confidencial revealed that the UCO has entered Ferraz to gather information. “The situation we are suffering is extremely serious and speaks for itself. How many more raids, how many more bribes, how many more indictments, how many more trials?” the opposition leader asked. “We are in an agonizing situation, we are questioning not only the Government, which is indecent, not only the Socialist Party, we are beginning to have a risk of contagion,” he added, pointing out that citizens think that “Spaniards believe politicians are like this, that Spaniards think nothing happens, that a politician can steal,” he lamented. “The political situation is agonizing, the atmosphere unbearable, it needs and urges the partners to say: ‘Enough, call elections,” he added.
Feijóo has not proposed a motion of no confidence and did not want to answer if he will contact the partners after the latest developments. Until yesterday, that option was not on the table at Génova. “There is no choice but to give the word to the Spaniards immediately. We can’t take it anymore. I don’t know what is happening in Ferraz, but it is one more and not just any, we are talking about the Socialist Party and its headquarters. And Mr. Sánchez, in the Vatican, if he wants to approach the Pope, should remember the seventh commandment: you shall not steal. And the eighth, you shall not lie,” he asserted.
The UCO enters Ferraz to request documentation from PSOE for the ‘Leire case’
Agents of the Central Operative Unit (UCO) of the Civil Guard entered early this morning the central headquarters of the PSOE on Madrid’s Ferraz street to request documentation from the PSOE for the Leire case.
‘PLUS ULTRA CASE’
The unknowns opened by the Zapatero jewelry box: “Concluding its value with an image is nonsense”
Neither nineteenth-century necklace, nor ruby fists, nor dyed sapphires, nor Arab origin, nor a European jewel either. “Concluding that with an image is nonsense.” Two industry experts, a former president of one of the world’s most important auction houses and a gemologist and appraiser from the Spanish Gemological Institute agree on what many suspected: “Zapatero’s jewels can be worth from 25 euros to millions.” And they bring speculators back to the same point, imagination. The appraisal process of precious stones is so complex that even after a thorough inspection, the laboratory report gave very bad news. “Imagine then saying something only with some poor-quality photos,” points out the auction house expert, who prefers not to give her name to avoid compromising the institution.
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Plus Ultra Case
Companies rescued during the pandemic knew before SEPI approvals, just like Plus Ultra
The judge of the Plus Ultra case, José Luis Calama, stated in the indictment order of former Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero that “early access to privileged information about the imminent granting of aid” by SEPI was an indication of influence peddling in the airline’s rescue. However, that was usual. The very nature of the procedure, a kind of negotiation, allowed companies that resorted during the pandemic to public financing from the Strategic Companies Solvency Support Fund (FASEE) to know how the files were progressing and the rescue requirements were being met.
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Government of Spain
Sánchez exploits his international leader facet in Rome before seeing the Pope: “Hunger is a cheaper weapon than missiles”
Pedro Sánchez has traveled to Rome for two days to breathe in a bleak moment for his Government in Spain and to give himself some joy in his role as an international leader. In Italy, he is a star, especially for the left, due to his stance against Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu. It is not an exaggeration to say he would have chances to win a primary. But also across the political spectrum and in the media, Spain’s good economic data is discussed, bitterly compared with Italy’s, and his success recipes are analyzed. Sánchez, a defender of international law and president of one of the few countries that has increased its development aid — while it has fallen 23% worldwide in the wake of Trump — also has a very supportive audience at the FAO, the United Nations organization for Food and Agriculture. “Hunger is a cheaper weapon than missiles and a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law,” proclaimed the president, received with a great ovation when he entered his assembly hall this Tuesday.
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Good morning. The PP and Vox will take advantage of this Wednesday’s Government control session in the Plenary of Congress to pose several questions to the three vice presidents, Carlos Cuerpo, Yolanda Díaz, and Sara Aagesen, in order to find out how they endure in a Government that the ‘populars’ label as “corrupt” and what is “their limit” to continue being part of it. In the absence of the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, on an official visit to Rome to meet with Pope Leo XIV, the opposition wants to demand explanations in the Lower House from the three vice presidents regarding corruption cases related to former PSOE leaders, especially after the recent indictment of former president José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero for the ‘Plus Ultra case’.
