Sánchez assures the ‘Koldo Commission’ that he was unaware that Delcy Rodríguez was barred from entering Europe when she was received by Ábalos

Eduardo González The Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, appeared this Thursday in the Senate before the Commission of Inquiry into the ‘Koldo case’, convened by the People's Party to answer questions about the alleged irregularities of former Socialist leaders José Luis Ábalos and Santos Cerdán and former advisor Koldo García, and about the payments issued by the party leadership. In his appearance, he admitted that, “on occasion” he may have received cash reimbursements from the PSOE in his capacity as Secretary General, “always with receipts,” and insisted that the PSOE is a “clean” party whose accounts are “transparent” and that it will continue to govern until the 2027 elections. He also asserted that he was unaware that the Vice President of Venezuela, Delcy Rodríguez, was banned from entering Europe when she was received by Ábalos in January 2020, and that he prevented her entry as soon as he learned she was coming. “Within this framework of absolutely regular financing, I am convinced that on occasion I have been able to settle expenses, always with receipts,” and “always, always, always,” after presenting supporting documentation, Sánchez asserted in response to questions about whether he received envelopes of cash to settle his expenses, as indicated by the Civil Guard's Central Operational Unit (UCO) in its investigation of former Secretary of Organization José Luis Ábalos and his advisor, Koldo García. However, he continued, these expenses were “anecdotal” and the amounts “never exceeded one thousand euros, not at all,” which would be against the law. Opposition senators accused Sánchez before the Commission of having used cash and envelope payments to Ábalos and Koldo García, sometimes exceeding a thousand euros. In his response, President Sánchez stated that it is “normal” to settle expenses in cash “always with an invoice” and within the “limits of legality” to cover advance payments made by PSOE leaders. In this regard, the Prime Minister warned that “the use of cash is perfectly legal and also common” in Spain and criticized those who, “after having used black money,” cannot differentiate between “black money” and “cash from regular sources.” “Yes, on Génova Street; no, on Ferraz Street,” Sánchez responded to questions from the PP spokesperson on the investigative committee, Alejo Miranda, regarding whether there had been any slush fund within the PSOE. According to Pedro Sánchez, 75% of the PSOE's income comes from "absolutely regulated and legal" public sources, and the remaining 25% corresponds to membership dues and contributions from public officials, which guarantees that the party is not subject to "third-party interests" unrelated to the "general interest." "I insist on this point: the PSOE has demonstrated, when the information has been requested, that there is absolute traceability in the organization's sources of funding," the Prime Minister asserted regarding the existence of a slush fund in his party. "Our accounts are clear, transparent, and legal, and this has been made known to the Supreme Court," he affirmed. According to Sánchez, in the PSOE "there is no surplus money and everything is accounted for," and, "unlike the PP, there have never been any extra payments." "The UCO report does not prove illegal financing of the Socialist Party," he continued. In contrast, he denounced the PP leader, Alberto Núñez Feijóo “hid his real salary from the Senate. He received almost 40,000 euros for representation expenses and another 30,000 for his parliamentary group.” “In total, almost 70,000 euros.” “The PSOE is a party with absolutely clean financing,” he asserted. “The PSOE’s accounts are perfectly honest and transparent,” he insisted. “Under this government, there is no patriotic police force like in other administrations,” and there is no “systemic corruption,” because “corruption left the Moncloa Palace” after the 2018 vote of no confidence, he continued. “I haven’t been given cash hidden in cigar boxes,” he added. Therefore, the current government has no intention of resigning prematurely, Sánchez warned, challenging the PP to file a motion of no confidence against him as he did in 2018 against Mariano Rajoy. “The people will speak in 2027,” he announced regarding the next general elections, in which the PSOE will run “with a project of regeneration, and that is when it will be determined which option the Spanish people choose.” Ábalos and Delcy Rodríguez On the other hand, Pedro Sánchez assumed his “political responsibility” for having appointed José Luis Ábalos as Minister of Transport and Secretary of Organization of the PSOE, but asserted that when he made that decision, Ábalos was a person he trusted completely. However, he continued, when his “repugnant personal habits” came to light—referring to the former minister’s alleged use of public funds to pay prostitutes to spend a weekend with Koldo García—the PSOE acted decisively, unlike what other organizations have done. “Since Koldo García’s arrest, Ábalos’s resignation as a member of parliament has been demanded,” he recalled. “Unlike what has happened in the past, I have assumed my responsibility in three ways: we have taken measures, we have expelled the suspects, and we have promoted internal reforms and reforms in the fight against corruption,” he explained. According to Sánchez, Ábalos was dismissed in 2021 in the context of the easing of pandemic restrictions and the need to address the new phase of Covid-19, so he denied the “rumors” that he was aware of the former minister's conduct. The government, he affirmed, is “absolutely committed” to women's rights and feminism. Furthermore, Sánchez asserted that his relationship with Koldo García was “anecdotal” and that he had “political collaboration with Ábalos and Santos Cerdán.” “That political trust doesn't mean I knew anything,” he added. Sánchez also insisted that the PSOE primary elections in which he was elected secretary general “were undoubtedly clean” and that he was not the one who ordered Koldo García to guard the ballot boxes from that process. “I won by 17,000 votes,” he recalled. During the hearing, the controversy surrounding the visit to Spain by Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez in January 2020, where she was received by Ábalos himself, also resurfaced. According to Sánchez, the government was unaware that Delcy Rodríguez was banned from entering European territory and prevented her entry as soon as they learned of her impending arrival. He also asserted that it is not uncommon for a Prime Minister to be unaware of all visits by foreign ministers. “The fact that ministers or prime ministers visit Spain without the knowledge of the Prime Minister is quite common, very common; therefore, one cannot make a supposed scandal out of something ordinary,” he added. Furthermore, Pedro Sánchez denied any connection between his wife, Begoña Gómez, and the government payments to Globalia. “Of course my wife had nothing to do with the Air Europa bailout. Even the reports from the Civil Guard and the UCO (Central Operative Unit) state this, and they dismissed it from the outset. But for some political parties, UCO reports are gospel when they suit their purposes, and when they don't, well, let's just ignore them,” he asserted. Tensions rise: “Defamation Commission” and a scuffle with the PP The hearing saw two particularly tense moments. At the beginning, during questions from UPN and Vox, Pedro Sánchez stated that this was not “a defamation commission, not an investigative one.” These words were harshly criticized by the commission's president, Eloy Suárez (PP), after which the Prime Minister retorted by calling the hearing a “circus” and sarcastically thanking Suárez for his “impartiality.” “This Senate deserves respect,” Suárez responded. “I have immense respect for the Senate. I do. I insist, I am the Prime Minister who has appeared before the Parliament more times than any other,” Sánchez replied. “I have enormous respect for this Chamber and I regret the quagmire into which senators from the PP and Vox have turned it. They have placed a key institution for our democracy at the service of a smear campaign,” Sánchez read at the end of his final appearance before the Senate committee. This final appearance coincided with the tensest moment of the hearing, the questioning by the PP spokesperson on the investigative committee, Alejo Miranda. During his turn, the senator from the main opposition party (which convened the committee) accused Sánchez of not having told “a single truth” during his appearance and became so insistent with his questions that the committee chair himself was forced to ask him to allow the Prime Minister to answer. Sánchez repeatedly asked to be allowed to answer the questions and not to be interrupted. “Are you ashamed of Koldo, Ábalos, and Cerdán?” “Did you know Aldama?” (“No, bumping into him at a rally and taking a picture with him wasn’t knowing him,” the president replied.) “Did your brother live in Elvas?” (Sánchez’s response was, “What does that have to do with this committee?”) “Is Venezuela a dictatorship?” “Did you speak with Delcy? Did you speak with Maduro?” These were some of the string of questions Miranda posed to Sánchez. “The PP has crossed many red lines,” Sánchez declared. “I defend the innocence of my wife and my brother,” he added. Finally, Alejo Miranda proposed a confrontation before the investigative committee between Sánchez, Ábalos, and the businessman Víctor de Aldama. “Would you submit voluntarily?” Miranda asked. “Unlike the PP, we acted upon learning the facts,” replied the Prime Minister, who accused the People’s Party of still not having forgiven itself for spying on political rivals. Following the hearing, the Second Vice President of the Government, Yolanda Díaz, accused the PP of turning the Senate into a "real quagmire," as did Geroa Bai and Compromís, senators from the Confederal Left group, who denounced the "partisan and underhanded use" of the Lower House by the right wing.

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