On July 28, 2025, a significant development unfolded in the ongoing corruption investigation involving Spain’s Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE). Spanish authorities detained two additional individuals linked to the party, escalating the probe into alleged corruption schemes. The arrests follow the earlier detention of Santos Cerdán, the former PSOE organizational secretary and a close ally of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, who was remanded in custody on June 30, 2025, after a Supreme Court judge found ”firm evidence” of his potential involvement in accepting kickbacks for public construction contracts. The latest detentions involve a regional PSOE official and a businessman, both suspected of facilitating irregular contract awards worth an estimated €200 million over the past three years. The investigation, led by the Guardia Civil’s Central Operative Unit (UCO), has uncovered audio evidence and financial records suggesting a network of influence peddling and bribery within the party’s regional branches. So far, the probe has identified over 15 individuals, including former Transport Minister José Luis Ábalos and his aide Koldo García, who are also under investigation for their roles in a related €50 million mask procurement scandal during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sánchez has responded by ordering an independent audit of PSOE finances and accepting Cerdán’s resignation, while maintaining his commitment to lead until the scheduled 2027 elections. The opposition, particularly the Popular Party (PP), has called for Sánchez’s resignation, with protests drawing 50,000 attendees in Madrid earlier this month. Despite the pressure, Sánchez has ruled out snap elections, emphasizing his focus on governance. The investigation continues, with authorities expecting to release further details as they analyze an additional 300 pages of evidence collected from recent raids.
www.34news.online
www.34news.online
