Businessman Julio Martínez has been summoned as an investigated party in a legal case regarding a public bailout for Plus Ultra airline [2].
The proceedings examine whether political influence was used to secure state funds for the carrier following the COVID-19 pandemic. The case centers on the legitimacy of the financial aid and the roles played by high-ranking political figures in its distribution.
Martínez ratified a document before Judge José Luis Calama of the Audiencia Nacional in Madrid [1]. In the filing, Martínez said former Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero was the person who determined the steps to follow during the management of the rescue [1]. The bailout in question totaled 53 million euros [1].
Zapatero has denied exercising any undue influence in the matter. During a statement provided to the court on June 17, 2024, Zapatero said he rejected the allegations [3]. The investigation, identified as case 77/2024, continues to scrutinize the relationship between the businessmen and the former government leader [4].
Reports on the relationship between Martínez and Zapatero vary, with some sources describing them as business partners and others as friends [2, 4]. Regardless of the personal tie, the court is focused on the administrative process of the 53 million euro [1] grant.
Judge Calama scheduled the summons for Martínez for July 21, 2026 [2]. The move marks a shift in the case as Martínez, once a collaborator, now provides testimony that directly implicates the former Prime Minister in the decision-making process [1].
“Martínez identified former Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero as the person who determined the steps to follow.”
This case highlights the ongoing legal scrutiny of pandemic-era state aid in Spain. If the court finds that a former head of government influenced the allocation of 53 million euros in public funds, it could establish a precedent for political accountability regarding the intersection of private business interests and public rescue packages.
