Former Minister of Transport José Luis Ábalos asked voluntarily appear as a witness before the judge of the National Court Ismael Moreno in the famous Koldo case, after the instructor took the first step towards his accusation, as confirmed by judicial sources.
It was Thursday when the president of the Central Instruction Court number 2 asked Congress to confirm that he was a deputy, and that same week a report from the Central Operational Unit (UCO) of the Civil Guard appeared in which THE “role of responsibility” of the former minister.
According to these sources, Ábalos wants to clarify the lies which he says is said based on the UCO report.
It turns out that the former socialist minister, when he learned of the report, told the congressional media that he was not surprised by the UCO’s request to investigate his alleged involvement, because “it was to be expected”and reiterated that he was not part of “any conspiracy.”
It should be recalled that in the summaries of this report, the agents emphasize that the evidence collected “offers an approximation of the facts in which Ábalos acquires a relevant and responsible role in his direct relationship with Koldo (García), (Víctor) Aldama and the criminal organization energized by the latter.
The armed institute maintains that “there should be an investigation What relationship would the former minister have with the “criminal organization”? and the facts” analyzed, for which it would be necessary to open “an investigation into this person, currently certified”.
Among the battery of “clues” to which the UCO refers, the investigators explain that – thanks to the “evidence intercepted at Aldama and Koldo” and the intercepted conversations – they “found an economic relationship between De Aldama and Koldo-Ábalos“.
The rescue of Air Europa
The Civil Guard also specifies that “the conversations found in the intercepted electronic devices allow us to appreciate in an indicative manner how De Aldama used his relationship with Koldo-Ábalos to influence the definitive granting of the rescue plan to Air Europa“.
“On July 16, 2020 they would have met the president of the governmentthat De Aldama calls “the 1” in his conversations with those closest to him; Nadia Calvinowhich he calls “the Treasure”, and abalos,” according to the report.
The agents point out that on the day of the meeting, De Aldama and Javier Hidalgo, then CEO of Globalia, They reportedly went to the Ministry of Transport to meet Ábalos.
The visit of Delcy Rodríguez
On the sidelines, the UCO highlights that Ábalos informed the president of the government, Pedro Sánchez, that the Venezuelan vice-president at the time, Delcy Rodríguez, would a private visit to Spain and whom he had asked to meet “discreetly.” From what he said, the general manager did not object.
“The vice president of Venezuela is coming privately on Monday and he wants to see me discreetly following on from the meeting I had with the Minister of Communication (who is his brother). The management that we agreed on in favor of Spanish companies has allowed Duro Felguera to recover a significant debt”, reads the message sent by Ábalos to Sánchez, a screenshot of which can be found in the UCO report.
The agents consider that from the said message, which Ábalos sent in the form of a screenshot to Koldo, “we can see” that “the approval of the President of the Government has been obtained for the visit to Delcy.
In turn, they point out that – during the tenure of Ábalos and Koldo in the ministry – De Aldama “regularly” carried out various activities such as “intermediation work between Spain and Venezuela”.
He also contacted Delcy Rodríguez to send him a message “from the boss” – Ábalos, according to investigators – regarding the meeting of Venezuelan opponent Leopoldo López with Pedro Sánchez at the PSOE headquarters, according to the report.
The UCO highlights that the number two of De Aldama and Nicolás Maduro was tried “question of great sensitivity” for both, including issues related to the purchase and sale of Venezuelan gold.
