Former Secretary General of the State Ports Álvaro Sánchez Manzanares declared himself this Wednesday as accused in the ‘Koldo case” investigated by the judge of the National Court Ismael Moreno, before whom he assured that he had no responsibility in the purchase of masks and that the orders for the purchase came directly “from the ministry” headed at the time by Jose Luis Abalos.
Sánchez Manzanares testified for an hour after being charged in the case last June. During his appearance, the former secretary general limited himself to answering questions from the anti-corruption prosecutor, his defense, the magistrate and the prosecutor.
The one who was at the head of the State Ports gave explanations on a 20 million euro contract with the company Soluciones de Gestión SL for the supply of masks during the pandemic. Sánchez refused to assume any responsibility for the decision to contract with the company through which businessmen Víctor de Aldama or Juan Carlos Cueto would have enriched themselves.
In fact, sources present in the statement explained that the former Secretary General of the State of Ports said he had shown reluctance to contract with Management Solutions, despite the fact that the contracts were signed because there was an order that came “from the ministry.”
Regarding his relationship with Koldo García, Sánchez said that it was of a “professional” nature and assured, at the request of the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office, that he had exchanged emails with Koldo and Víctor de Aldama because they were the people involved in the management of the company purchasing the masks.
Regarding the question of whether Air Europa was the only company transporting masks, Sánchez Manzanares assured that other transports had been subcontracted. This Wednesday, the former CEO of Globalia, Javier Hidalgo, who appears as a witness, is also summoned to testify.
