Spanish Vice President Sara Aagesen has publicly criticized the handling of confidential information during the 2021 rescue of the airline Plus Ultra, stating that such leaks should have never occurred. Speaking on Cadena Ser, she emphasized that sensitive data regarding the approval process should have remained restricted within the Council of Managers and the teams of the Sociedad Estatal de Participaciones Industriales (SEPI). She expressed regret over the breach, noting that the information was supposed to remain confidential until official approval was granted. Aagesen did not explicitly confirm whether she herself had leaked the information, but her remarks suggested she was not responsible for the leak. When asked about her confidence in former Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, she stated that the current government upholds the presumption of innocence and expects all individuals, including Zapatero, to tell the truth to clarify the situation. Zapatero denied having influenced the rescue of Plus Ultra during an interview with TVE’s Mañaneros 360, asserting his absolute conviction of his innocence. He claimed he never spoke to anyone from the SEPI, the government, or other officials regarding the rescue. He further denied giving instructions to create an offshore company in Dubai to receive illegal commissions related to the rescue, calling such claims absurd. Zapatero also addressed his relationship with Julio Martínez, who testified against him in court, describing their friendship as longstanding and emphasizing that Martínez's actions were part of his defense strategy. Regarding allegations that his daughters' company, Whathefav, was used to channel illicit funds, Zapatero insisted that the figures attributed to the company needed to be reviewed and that his daughters would provide documentation of their work. According to Julio Martínez, Zapatero learned in real time about the arrival of the critical report from Deloitte, which was necessary for approving the rescue. This information came directly from Zapatero, who informed Martínez that the SEPI was set to propose the approval of the state aid soon. The report from Deloitte, which confirmed that Plus Ultra met the requirements, arrived on February 26, 2021. This date coincided with the period when high-ranking officials in the Ministry of Economy, Industry, and Ecology were regularly updated on developments related to the rescue. These officials, along with members of the Council of Managers and SEPI executives, had access to internal information during this time. The rescue had been largely planned by early February, but several key reports were still pending before formal approval could be obtained. On February 26, the last required report from Deloitte was received, confirming that Plus Ultra fulfilled the conditions for the rescue. However, there was a contradiction noted in police reports from the Udef unit, indicating that Deloitte had previously been informed that Plus Ultra owed 451,000 euros to the Social Security, yet the final report closed this issue. According to Martínez, Zapatero immediately shared this information with the owners of Plus Ultra, Rodolfo Reyes and Camilo Ibrahim Issa, informing them that the rescue was likely to be approved by the Council of Ministers on March 9. Martínez confirmed that he relayed the positive news to Reyes and Issa shortly after receiving the update from Zapatero. His message to them indicated that the rescue was imminent and would be finalized by the Council of Ministers on March 9. The final approval by the Council of Managers took place on March 2, followed by the official endorsement by the Council of Ministers on March 9. This marked the culmination of efforts that began nearly a year earlier, during which Plus Ultra reportedly paid a 1% commission on the 53 million euros received through the rescue to Martínez, who in turn passed a similar amount to Zapatero. Both Plus Ultra and Julio Martínez have submitted written statements to the National Court expressing their willingness to cooperate with the justice system. They admitted that Zapatero played a mediating role in the rescue of the airline. Additionally, they detailed an agreement to receive a 1% share of the public funds allocated by the SEPI to the airline. These documents indicate a clear acknowledgment of Zapatero's involvement in the affair, despite his previous denials.
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