Phone surveillance related to an investigation into the Russian mafia in Spain has uncovered that businessmen from Alicante, linked to this criminal network, sought the influence of former Spanish President José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero to launder money through investments in Cuba. This revelation comes from the Central Brigade of Organized Crime of the UDYCO, as reported to the investigating judge.
According to court documents from the Instruction Court Number 46 in Madrid, the scheme involved setting up a one-gigawatt solar photovoltaic park on the island. The payment for this project was to be made in kind, using strategic minerals such as nickel, cobalt, and gold.
The two primary businessmen implicated in this case are Jerónimo Sarmiento Morato, who leads the company Servigestión Lucentum, and Jorge Martínez Odriozola. Sarmiento's company acted as an intermediary between the Cuban regime and solar park installation companies originating from China, South Africa, and Mexico. Furthermore, they maintained connections with the oil firm PEMEX, which showed interest in investing in Cuban refineries.
The Role of Political Connections
Recorded phone conversations began to capture these activities in March 2024. During a call on the 25th of that month, one businessman explained the regime's proposal: "They accepted the giga park in exchange for nickel and cobalt." However, negotiations hit a snag when Cuban official Rosell Guerra Campaña, Director of Renewable Energies at the Ministry of Energy and Mines, refused to face the situation, prompting the businessmen to leverage their political contacts.
In intercepted recordings, one of the involved parties made it clear: "We had to use Jorge, who reached out to the ZP group, Rodríguez Zapatero, and those people don't do things for free."
Key Figures and Developments
Following this intervention, Alfredo López Valdés, Director of the Cuban Electrical Union (UNE) and a former minister, made direct contact with the businessmen. The mediation was credited to Julio Martínez Martínez, an Alicante businessman and personal friend of Zapatero. Martínez was already a central figure in the Plus Ultra case, where his consultancy billed the airline 460,000 euros and paid the former president 463,000 euros gross for "global consultancy."
The investors also had the cooperation of René Capote, a diplomat at the Cuban embassy in Spain, with whom Sarmiento directly arranged a meeting in Alicante.
Despite these connections, Zapatero's circle has distanced itself from this operation, asserting no knowledge of the affair. This Cuban branch adds to the multiple legal issues facing Zapatero. On May 19, the National Court charged him with criminal organization, influence peddling, and document falsification in the Plus Ultra case, marking the first time a former Spanish president has been charged with corruption.
That same day, agents from the Economic and Fiscal Crime Unit (UDEF) searched his office on Ferraz Street in Madrid, opening his office safe, where they found nearly 80 pieces of jewelry valued at over 1,300,000 euros, including emeralds from Zambia, sapphires from Thailand, rubies, and diamonds.
The judge overseeing the so-called Zapatero case at the National Court, José Luis Calama, has described a network of influence trafficking in international operations spanning Cuba, Venezuela, Peru, and other countries.
In January 2026, the National Court had already initiated proceedings against Zapatero for his alleged cooperation with the regime of Nicolás Maduro after a lawsuit for drug trafficking, money laundering, and criminal organization.
Zapatero appeared before the National Court on June 17 and 18 to testify about the jewelry and the charges in the Plus Ultra case, consistently denying any influence exerted to favor any of the investigated parties.
Frequently Asked Questions on Zapatero's Involvement with Cuba
What was the proposed investment plan in Cuba?
The plan involved constructing a one-gigawatt solar photovoltaic park in Cuba, with payments made in strategic minerals like nickel and cobalt.
Who are the main businessmen involved?
The primary figures are Jerónimo Sarmiento Morato of Servigestión Lucentum and Jorge Martínez Odriozola.
How is José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero connected to this case?
Zapatero was reportedly contacted through his political network to facilitate the investment, though he denies any involvement.