Lorraine Williamson
One of the most politically charged corruption cases in Spain in years is about to move into open court. On Tuesday, 7 April, the Supreme Court will begin the Ábalos masks corruption trial, placing former transport minister José Luis Ábalos, his ex-adviser Koldo García, and businessman Víctor de Aldama in the dock over alleged wrongdoing linked to pandemic-era contracts.
The court has fixed 7 April at 10.00 am for the start of the trial after rejecting all preliminary objections raised by the defence. According to the Supreme Court, the three men will stand trial over alleged bribery, influence peddling, embezzlement of public funds, membership of a criminal organisation, misuse of confidential information, forgery and prevarication.
Cadena SER reports that the hearings are scheduled across 23 sessions running to 30 April, with 80 witnesses expected to appear. The contracts at the centre of the case are valued at more than €36 million, and anti-corruption prosecutors are seeking 24 years in prison for Ábalos and García and seven years for Aldama, who has cooperated with investigators.
Why this matters beyond the courtroom
The case matters well beyond one former minister. Reuters has already described the corruption investigations around Ábalos as part of the broader chain of scandals that have dogged Pedro Sánchez’s minority government. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court case ensures the issue returns to the front of the Spanish political debate just as the PSOE tries to move the agenda elsewhere.
According to Reuters, Ábalos and García deny wrongdoing, and the courtroom phase will now test both the prosecution’s account and the government’s political resilience. For Sánchez, the danger is not only what emerges during the hearings, but the fact that an old crisis is about to become a daily headline again.