He rescue of Air Europa caused significant friction and tension between members of the Koldo Field. They have reached such a level that the businessman and commission agent Víctor de Aldama even threatened another protagonist of the conspiracy, Koldo Garcíathen advisor and right-hand man to José Luis Ábalos, former Minister of Transport.
This happened on August 31, 2020. At that time, it was believed that the government would save Air Europa, from the Globalia group, where Javier Hidalgoa frequent protagonist in conspiracy investigations, was the CEO. However, there was a lot of concern on the part of the executive, who reportedly expressed his nervousness to Aldama due to the long delays in rescuing the airline, which were not resolved until November of that year .
This is indicated by the sound files sent by Aldama (now detained) to Hidalgo via WhatsApp, intervened by the Central Operational Unit (UCO) of the Civil Guard and to which this newspaper had access.
The WhatsApp of the Koldo affair: Aldama guaranteed the rescue to Hidalgo with threats against the government: “Either they fix it or it’s over” Editing: Javier Carbajal
Aldama explicitly tells Hidalgo that he has asked Koldo García for explanations about the airline’s situation: “I shit on their fucking mother because it’s enough of them teasing us. You make yourself look bad to your father (Javier Hidalgo, president of the company), to your family, to everyone…”
“I (look) bad at the same time as you because I look like an idiot, telling you the antics they tell me, I’m sick to death.” And then, he claimed to have threatened Koldo García: “I already told him to sort it out or it’s over.“.
Europe Press
This is Aldama’s response to Javier Hidalgo himself, who previously sent him an audio explaining that he had been in contact with García. “I spoke again with Koldo and he told me that on Wednesday we will see the minister (José Luis Ábalos) and then with (Pedro) Saura“, then Secretary of State for Transport, today president of Correos. “And Thursday with Luis, Bartolomé (Lora, vice-president of SEPI), Saura and me. “
“Koldo told me to be calm and that so and so. I tell you, tomorrow, when I have better coverage, I will call you,” Hidalgo added.
Nerves
The nerves of Aldama and Hidalgo were in any case justified. A few days earlier, on August 27, the former CEO of Globalia had warned Aldama that Air Europa had received a threat of default by one of the companies that supplied the planes to the airline.
Concretely, it is an email received by Richard Clark, general director of Air Europa (four years ago and now). “We were sure that Air Europa would pay its arrears this week, since you had promised Denis“, indicates the e-mailin a screenshot that Hidalgo sent to Aldama via WhatsApp.
“We must be reasonable and fair between us, we have supported each other a lot, but our line of credit is exhausted“, especially since nothing has been agreed or documented regarding rent deferrals”, specifies the text.
“Since March, we have only received three payments of one million dollars and therefore one invoice remains unpaid,” continues the e-mailthe sender of which is not revealed by Hidalgo.
“Total arrears exceed $20 million and we enter September with new unpaid invoices. If nothing is paid soon or an agreement is not reached between the parties, I have no choice but to issue aircraft grounding advisories over the next week.“.
In communications like these, the conspiracy repeatedly reveals its moves in favor of the airline’s interests, turning to the former Minister of Transport. Actually, Koldo Garcia described him as a “lobbyist” in favor of Air Europa Jose Luis Abalos.
He did this in a conversation with Víctor de Aldama, on June 10, 2021, almost a year later than those mentioned above. García sent the businessman the link to an article published by a digital media titled: Ábalos asks Brussels for help to avoid a second Air Europa bailout of 150 million euros.
The subtitle of the text read: “The government of Pedro Sánchez is intensifying its contacts so that the European Commission approves the takeover of the airline by Iberia, both affected by Covid-19”. García sent this news with the message: “Act as a lobbyist”.
This is what is indicated in the WhatsApp chats to which EL ESPAÑOL had access and which were on a cell phone intercepted in Koldo García by the UCO.. And they have already been sent to the investigating judge Koldo affairIsmael Moreno, president of the Central Investigating Court number 2 of the National Court.
The case investigates a conspiracy, of which the two would be the leaders, allegedly dedicated to the collection of illegal commissions through several public contracts awarded to the company. SL Management Solutions at the start of the Covid pandemic and intended for the Administration to receive masks.
The investigation touched on other areas, including alleged events in other sectors, such as those cited in the Air Europa case.
Víctor de Aldama, in addition to being linked to Soluciones de Gestión SLwas an advisor to the airline Air Europa, which was also responsible for transporting masks from China to Madrid..
On June 10, 2021, García sent the news to this conversation with the businessman. Previously, in November 2020, the Council of Ministers approved the granting of a loan, as a rescue, to Air Europa for a value of 475 million euros to mitigate the consequences of Covid-19. The Central Executive’s plans were to inject this sum in several phases.
