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SPAIN’s former Minister of Transport has been pictured main a lavish life-style shortly after he allegedly obtained kickbacks throughout the Covid pandemic, it may be revealed.
Unique pictures launched by investigative outlet El Español present Jose Luis Abalos, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s former right-hand man, having fun with luxurious holidays and yacht journeys within the aftermath of the disaster in 2021 and 2022.
Abalos has been on the centre of a significant corruption scandal alongside his aide, Koldo Garcia, after allegedly receiving kickbacks linked to €500 million price of public contracts – some awarded with out aggressive tender – for the acquisition of masks and different sanitary gear throughout the pandemic.
The so-called ‘Koldo case’ has solid a shadow over Sanchez’s tenure because it emerged in 2024, with opposition events repeatedly calling for the Prime Minister’s resignation.
The newly launched photographic proof provides to mounting strain on Abalos and Garcia, who now face potential jail sentences of 24 and 19 years respectively, on the day of their first listening to earlier than the Supreme Court docket (Tuesday, April 7).
READ MORE: Former Sanchez right-hand man in recent corruption probe over lacking €95k
Within the materials launched by El Español, Abalos and his entourage could be seen having fun with luxurious experiences throughout a variety of locations, together with Venice (Italy), Punta Cana (Dominican Republic), Bogota (Colombia), Havana (Cuba), Malabo (Equatorial Guinea), Paris (France), Douala (Cameroon), and a number of other cities in Thailand.
Based on the identical outlet, he travelled to a number of of those places by personal jet.
Within the pictures, the previous transport minister is seen within the firm of his spouse, Carolina Perles, in addition to his two former girlfriends, Jessica Rodriguez and Andrea De La Torre.
In a single picture taken in Might 2021, Abalos seems having fun with a gondola experience in Venice alongside De la Torre, regardless of nonetheless being married to Perles on the time.
In August of the identical yr, Abalos travelled to Punta Cana with Perles, Garcia, and gynaecologist Ignacio Palomo.
READ MORE: Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez defends authorities’s actions over ongoing Covid masks scandal
Palomo’s firm, Grupo Arpa, was awarded a €600,000 public contract throughout the pandemic to produce Covid assessments that, in response to allegations, later turned out to be pretend and lacked EU certification.
Abalos later flew to Equatorial Guinea with De la Torre and Garcia, the place he was photographed smiling beneath a portrait of native dictator Teodoro Obiang.
Additional journeys adopted, together with a September go to to Colombia, the place Abalos was pictured enjoyable in an open-air swimming pool at nightfall with De La Torre.
By December, he had separated from his spouse, and extra journeys with De la Torre ensued, with the pair travelling alongside Garcia to locations together with Cuba, Cameroon, Acapulco (Mexico), Thailand and Morocco inside a six-month interval in 2022.
READ MORE: Pedro Sanchez tells UK podcast Spain doesnt have a corruption downside and defends ‘innocence’ of spouse and brother
Abalos and Garcia had been additionally photographed aboard the ‘Albatros,’ a 5.8-metre yacht flying the Italian flag that Garcia purchased in August 2022.
Nonetheless, their life-style now comes underneath scrutiny as they face a 13-session trial earlier than the Supreme Court docket, with greater than 75 witnesses and 20 consultants anticipated to take the stand.
The defendants are scheduled to offer proof on April 28, with closing arguments set for April 30.
Abalos and Garcia have been held at Soto del Actual jail in Madrid since November final yr.
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