Two elements constitute, in a way, the touchstone of the credibility of Víctor de Aldama. There are two questions that will determine the purity according to the testimony of the commissioner of the Koldo affair.
This Thursday, at the National Court, the businessman detailed his relations with Pedro Sanchez and some of his ministers and former ministers. But it went further. Aldama claims to have paid commissions to the number three of the PSOE organizational chart and chief of staff of the first vice-president of the current government, who is also head of the Treasury.
According to the statement he made before the investigating judge of Koldo affairthe advisor to former minister José Luis Ábalos who gives his name to the cause, Koldo Garciagave a commission to Santos CerdanOrganizing Secretary of the Socialist Party. He would have done it in a bar near the national headquarters of the group. According to the businessman’s version, Koldo handed him an envelope with cash in front of his eyes.
But this is not the only (supposed) commission to which Aldama refers. Before judge Ismael Moreno and anti-corruption prosecutor Luis Pastor, he also assured that paid 25,000 euros to Carlos Moreno Medinachief of staff of Minister María Jesús Montero. A payment that he allegedly made through Koldo García in a cafeteria near the ministry.
With what objective? This would be compensation for a “favor” granted to the company Pilot real estatewho had a debt to the Treasury of more than two million euros. In fact, it is one of the companies that appeared on the Treasury’s list of defaulters for the year 2022.
Apparently, and as explained before the judge, the company was “negotiating with the Treasury” and the Administration refused to grant a payment deferral. Basically, due to the lack of warranty. Thus, according to Aldama, the alleged remittance of money was intended so that Moreno, “in one way or another”, would try to “intervene” to obtain a postponement.
Aldama assured before the National Court that Montero’s chief of staff told them that “he had to speak with his boss and that, if authorized, the movement would be carried out.” And, according to his account, this is how it happened: “We got Pilot’s reprieve.”
Aldama, to Ábalos and Koldo: “I am not the Bank of Spain and you are already going too far”
The allusions to Santos Cerdán and Carlos Moreno aroused suspicion within the Socialist Party. In fact, this is Aldama’s entire statement to the National Court.
The official position of the Treasury is exhaustive: “It’s a lie”. And this was also missed by the members of the PSOE who know the chief of staff, whom they define as a “gray technician” who has always been at the side of María Jesús Montero since she was a councilor within the Junta de Andalucía.
Santos Cerdán, from the halls of Congress, told the press that the allusions made about him by Aldama are “false.” And andThe PSOE was quick to announce that will “immediately” take legal action against the commission agent.
However, these two extremes, unknown until now, will be crucial to determine the solidity of Aldama’s story, who, moreover, by this declaration, admits to having committed a possible corruption offense with payment for appetizers.
According to legal sources of EL ESPAÑOL, jurisprudence, in order to consider as relevant, as evidence for the prosecution, a confession like this, however self-incriminating it may be, requires that the story be corroborated by other elements . That is, data or any other external circumstance that helps support it.
Aldama, free
For the moment, the businessman’s statement before the National Court has allowed him to regain his freedom. Until a few hours ago, Aldama was imprisoned in Soto del Real prison (Madrid), on the orders of another judge, Santiago Pedraz, who is investigating the appeal. fuel plota network of hydrocarbon companies which allegedly defrauded 182 million euros.
Without going into details, on the eve of the night, the businessman, upon his release from prison, issued a warning to the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez: “Don’t worry, you will have proof of everything that was said”.
For the prosecutor, the “express recognition” of the facts during his appearance in court Koldo affair and “confessions of crimes” —some, new— lead to support the demand for freedom.
After evaluating only these extremes, Anticorrupción considers that his confession “distorts the risk of destruction of evidence” and “mitigates the danger of flight”, which were decisive in incarcerating him for the crime. fuel plot.
Moreno and the PSOE-A
However, in the political field, Aldama’s allusion to Moreno is also surprising, because even Sánchez’s critics within the Andalusian Socialist Party did not take the opportunity to rearm.
They insist on the fact that Montero’s chief of staff is a “technician” who has never had his own profile or political ambitions. They even minimize the problem: “He’s a Montero coach, not a secretary.”
“I don’t see him doing all that. If you tell me about anyone else, I still have doubts. But this one? He’s discreet, he’s never broken a plate, he doesn’t has no political aspirations, he enjoys life being where he is, he is in the ins and outs of everything without showing his face, that does not correspond to me”, says someone who knew Montero a lot in Andalusia .
Carlos Moreno, graduated in law from the University of Cádiz, is also an expert in health management from the University of Granada. He also holds a Master’s degree in Health Economics and Management of Health Organizations, as well as from the University of Granada.
The full video of Aldama’s confession before the judge
