Spain's National Court Judge José Luis Calama has summoned Laura and Alba Rodríguez Espinosa, daughters of former President José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, to appear on November 30 as part of the ongoing investigation into the Plus Ultra case. According to the EFE news agency, Laura is expected at 9:00 am and Alba at 12:00 pm.
This decision follows a request from the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor, which emphasized the "necessity" for the National Office of Fraud Investigation (ONIF), under the Ministry of Finance, to prepare a fiscal and tax report on Zapatero and his daughters covering the period from 2020 to 2025. There are "indications" that they might have received commissions related to the 53-million-euro public bailout granted by SEPI to the airline in 2021.
The ex-leader of the PSOE's daughters are co-owners of What the Fav, a company that, according to the Economic and Financial Crime Unit (UDEF), reportedly received funds from several entities under investigation: 561,440 euros from Inteligencia Prospectiva, 239,755 euros from Análisis Relevante, and 171,727 euros from Gate Center, among others.
Information from UDEF, reported by Infobae, indicates that Laura received 247,191 euros between April 2021 and December 2025, while Alba obtained 199,904 euros from April 2023 to December 2025. UDEF asserts that the company doesn't engage in standard business activities but instead generates invoices and redistributes funds.
In the same court order, Calama has also called José Ángel Partearroyo, former director of SEPI's Participated Companies, and Félix Martín, former financial director of Plus Ultra, as witnesses on November 19. Partearroyo's summons is a result of testimony from the airline's former president, Julio Martínez Sola, who admitted on September 7 to having had contacts with him to secure the loan and confessed to paying 1% of the amount—about 530,000 euros—to the so-called "Zapatero group."
Simultaneously, the judge has given Zapatero a three-day deadline to provide documentation regarding nearly 80 pieces of jewelry found in a safe at his Madrid office, initially valued at 1,323,915 euros. The former president had committed on June 27 to clarify the origin of these pieces within ten days, a promise he has yet to fulfill. In a Spanish Television interview on July 23, he described them as a "personal courtesy gift" received years ago from an undisclosed country.
The magistrate has also commissioned a new gemological appraisal from Joyería Yanes, with the support of the Spanish Gemological Institute, to detail each piece individually and identify the geographical origin of the most valuable ones. Zapatero is being investigated for alleged smuggling and tax offenses in connection with this discovery.
The case has gained momentum following the guilty plea in the U.S. by Alex Saab, a Colombian-Venezuelan businessman known as a key financial operator for the Chavista regime, which has unveiled connections between Plus Ultra's financial activities and Venezuelan corruption networks.
With the summons of Zapatero's daughters on November 30, the proceedings reach a critical phase, marking the first time the entire family of the Spanish socialist ex-president faces corruption charges in front of the investigating judge.
Key Questions on the Plus Ultra Investigation
What is the Plus Ultra case about?
The Plus Ultra case involves allegations of financial misconduct related to a public bailout granted to the airline Plus Ultra, with potential links to unlawful commissions and corruption.
Why are Zapatero's daughters being investigated?
Laura and Alba Rodríguez Espinosa are under investigation due to suspicions of receiving commissions linked to the public funds provided to Plus Ultra, and their involvement with a company implicated in the case.
What role does the jewelry discovery play in the investigation?
The jewelry found in Zapatero's office is being scrutinized for possible connections to smuggling and tax fraud, further complicating the former president's legal challenges.