Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero

José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, Prime Minister of Spain from 2004 to 2011, maintained a record free of significant scandal during his time in office. However, in May 2026, he became the first former Spanish prime minister to be placed under formal investigation for corruption. Zapatero has been summoned to testify on June 2, 2026, by the Audiencia Nacional regarding his alleged role as the leader of a hierarchical network involved in influence peddling, criminal organization, money laundering, and document forgery. The investigation centers on the 2021 state-funded bailout of the airline Plus Ultra, with prosecutors alleging that Zapatero used his influence to secure the 53 million euro rescue for private gain. Authorities suspect that approximately 1.9 to 2.5 million euros in commissions were channeled to Zapatero and companies linked to his family through consultancy contracts serving as a front for illicit payments. Zapatero denies these allegations, maintaining that his work as a consultant for the firm Análisis Relevante was legitimate, and he has testified before a Senate committee that he had no involvement in the airline's bailout. Previous lawsuits concerning his ties to the Venezuelan government were dismissed by the National Court due to a lack of evidence.