Those investigated feared that the alleged getter would reveal to the Treasury that he knew the former minister
MADRID, 29 Feb. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Civil Guard intercepted a conversation last October in which Koldo García assured the businessman Juan Carlos Cueto, the alleged ‘mastermind’ of the plot who would have paid commissions to obtain awards for the sale of masks during the pandemic, that the former Minister of Transport José Luis Ábalos continued “playing the same thing.”
This is stated in a letter from the Benemérita from last November that appears in the summary, to which Europa Press has had access, of the case being investigated by the National Court. Koldo’s words appear in one of the transcripts collected by the researchers; specifically, ones related to a conversation between Ábalos’ former advisor, his brother Joseba García and Cueto.
The agents begin the transcription with a question from Cueto: “But is this one in good condition or not?” Koldo responds with another question: “José Luis?” And the businessman answers: “Ábalos.”
Koldo clarifies that yes, that “it is, it is, it is.” “Man! They shook him because of… do you remember that thing about that?, but he keeps clicking the same thing, eh,” he adds and then says that “he sees it with this one, at least to know if he goes or it doesn’t go.”
The exchange took place on October 17 in a seafood restaurant in Madrid between 12:13 and 12:35 p.m. From the analysis of the exposed excerpt, the researchers understand that “Cueto asks him about the political future of José Luis Ábalos.”
Later, the businessman intervenes to say: “I tell this guy to talk to him at the Prosecutor’s Office. And for now, we are in the same… with him.” The Civil Guard, however, does not specify what it can refer to.
Within the framework of the conversation, Cueto adds that “one good thing has come out of the Constitutional Court, which seems to be that everything that you have seized or that you have retained due to possible fines, does not necessarily have to be taken away from you.” And he later assures that he has “asked” for the court’s resolution. “Not for me, but for the company,” he adds.
That same document includes a conversation between Cueto and the businessman Íñigo Rotaeche, also investigated by the National Court. In it, both reflect on the matters that the Tax Agency will ask at the appearance of the president of Zamora CF, Víctor de Aldama, the alleged achiever of the plot.
“They will ask him about everyone, about me, about Angola – in reference to the ‘Defex case’, in which Cueto is accused -, about Ábalos, about the president of the Government, about the Minister of Defense, about Delcy, about the suitcases… for everything,” Cueto said.
On October 10, 2023, Rotaeche showed Cueto “his concern about De Aldama telling the inspector – it is understood that he was from the Tax Agency – that he knew the minister – it is deduced that José Luís Ábalos – because he was a counselor. of Air Europa, and to tell him that he was at the Ministry every day because there was a problem with the airlines.
“In this call, both interlocutors stated that De Aldama knew the minister and was at the Ministry all day, alluding to the fact that De Aldama would have had a ‘special pass,'” the letter adds.
It should be remembered that at the moment Ábalos is not listed as being investigated in the procedure being followed in the National Court against seven people for alleged crimes of criminal organization, money laundering, bribery and influence peddling.
