Each corruption case has its own jargon and a particular smell. But they all share a common language. THE Koldo Field This was not going to be an exception.
The summary of this legal case includes, among other things, expansive WhatsApp, guns, intertwined business networks, tapped phones, real estate investments, the usual mix between lust and preferential treatment, connections of relatives in public entities or payments made by straw men.
On August 17, 2020, Koldo Garcia, advisor to José Luis Ábalos, contacted the then president of the Balearic Islands, Francine Armengolto recommend an antigen testing company, which would soon be hired by their Government islands.
Koldo’s “wasp” in Armengol, included in the UCO report.
Armengol facilitated contacts with Koldo Patricia Gomez Picardyour health advisor. Immediately afterwards, the advisor responded, in a burst of gratitude: “Okay, honey, I’ll keep you posted on everything.”.
The President of the Balearic Islands —now president of the Congress of Deputies—was not the only PSOE leader that García used to extend the tentacles of the plot.
According to the latest Civil Guard report on the case, on the same day he sent a message to Armengol, August 17 four years ago, Koldo sent an audio message to Angel Victor Torresthen president of the Canary Islands.
The advisor insisted on recommending the same company, presenting it as “a fully established laboratory” in the archipelago “which had designed a PCR testing protocol to facilitate safe flights against the virus”.
With each advance in research Koldo affairthe siege was reinforced around Ábalos. Koldo Garcia, nicknamed Grandu or “K”not only served as his advisor, but was also his right-hand man when he was Minister of Transport.
The Civil Guard highlights its close, personal and professional relationship. In the latest file, agents of the Central Operational Unit (UCO) reveal that An alleged leader paid the monthly payments for his apartment in JesicaÁbalos’ partner. Koldo usually called the latter “José” or “El Jefe”.
The person who paid the young woman’s rent would have been the spouse of Victor de Aldamathe businessman is considered the intermediary/commissioner of the project, due to his relationships with the senior management of certain sectors of Public Administration and Government.
To this director —this figure is also common in corruption networks—it is nicknamed, by other members of the network, The Gominas. This is what we hear in conversations intercepted by the UCO using wiretapped phones.
Delcy Rodríguez, in an archive image.
Reuters
Armengol wasn’t the only one to receive Koldo’s outpourings – via WhatsApp. The councilor, another sign of his closeness to Ábalos, thanked him for Pedro Sánchez having given his agreement for the visit of Delcy Rodriguez in Spain. However, the Venezuelan vice-president was prohibited from walking or flying over Spanish (and European) soil.
In January 2020, the then Minister of Transport informed her that a few days later he would meet with the Chavista leader, Sánchez, nicknamed by the intriguer as “El 1”wrote a brief “good”. Koldo, after learning that the President of the Government had no objection to this controversial visit, expressed his affection for the chief: “How much I love you”.
“Wasap” from Ábalos to Pedro Sánchez to inform him of Delcy’s trip.
In addition to Transport, the Ministry of the Interior, headed by Fernando Grande Marlaskaalso hired the company believed to be the epicenter of this plot, SL Management Solutionsfor the provision of medical supplies.
Likewise, the documentation of the case reveals the socialist president of La Rioja, Concha Andreushared with Koldo the contact of his Minister of Health, in an action similar to that of Armengol.
But the conspiracy intrigues don’t stop there, nor are they limited to the healthcare sector. The commissionaire Víctor de Aldama and Javier Hidalgoformer CEO of Globalia, met and had discussions with Nadia Calvinothen vice-president of the government and minister of the Economy.
He would have been present at these meetings Bartolomé Lora Torovice-president of the State Company of Industrial Participations (SEPI), to promote the rescue of Air Europa, owned by Globalia, of 475 million euros. This airline was responsible for transporting millions of masks acquired by the Spanish government to Soluciones de Gestión SL.
As published by EL ESPAÑOL, the summary of the Koldo affair It also revealed money transfers – through Bizum – to a brother of Víctor de Aldama for concepts – so common in other corruption summaries – such as “the whore from the other day”, “parties” or “blowjobs”.
Rubén de Aldama He was part of Ábalos’ security team when he was minister. Family ties are also an essential element in the Koldo affair.
Two of Koldo’s brothers, Joseba and Andoni, were arrested by the Civil Guard. Also his wife, Patricia Urizwhat was councilor of the Navarrese town of Huarte, the same town where her husband had lived. Úriz worked until 2021 as secretary in the Ministry of Ábalos.
As this newspaper revealed, Joseba García, for her part, has been working for public companies related to transport since 2019. Jesica, for her part, was employed as an administrative assistant within the public company Ineco.
Luxury and ostentation are the hallmarks of Iberian corruption. As the discussions included in the case summary reveal, Víctor de Aldama was the real owner of the villa in La Línea de la Concepción (Cádiz) that he rented in 2021 Jose Luis Abalos.
Another example of this ostentation are the photographs which Claudio Rivasan associate of Aldama, sends him on a safari in Africa. The businessman, dedicated to the hydrocarbon sector, sends images of himself, rifle in hand, accompanied by slaughtered corpses of wildebeest, lions and lionesses.
Image sent by Claudio Rivas to Aldama after one of his hunts in Africa.
“Your fucking mother, wow, bugs. Shit, unbelievable,” Aldama reacts. “Yes, He got complicated with one of the lionessesbut the 375 Hollan Hollan (sic) solved it,” says Rivas, referring to the most famous rifle cartridge for African hunting, whose real name is 375. Holland & Holland Magnum. As revealed by EL ESPAÑOL, a Civil Guard commander investigated in the Koldo affair He had written on his calendar the processing of Rivas’ gun hunting license.
During the first searches at Koldo’s home, the Civil Guard found three shotguns, five rifles — four of them Winchester type and one of unknown brand — and a Star Parabelum 9 millimeter pistol, unusable.
The latest reports from UCO —which include data of all types; from safari photos to new information about the chalet or Jesica— They put water around the neck of former minister Ábalos. The judge has already asked Congress to certify that he remains a deputy, before requesting his indictment before the Supreme Court, the only one able to do so given his state.
