Former Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero stated on Thursday that the jewelry worth €1.3 million confiscated by police during an investigation was a personal gift received years ago and was never intended for financial gain, according to Reuters.
Zapatero, who served as prime minister from 2004 to 2011, remains an influential figure in the ruling Socialist Party. He is under investigation for alleged influence peddling, accusations he vehemently denies. This case is part of a series of corruption scandals plaguing the party, increasing political pressure on the government led by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez. His wife has been charged with alleged corruption, while his brother has been convicted of complicity in administrative abuse and banned from public office for nine years.
In his first interview since being placed under investigation two months ago, Zapatero told Spanish public broadcaster TVE that the jewelry discovered during a search of his office was “a gift offered as a gesture of courtesy,” which he has kept alongside other family valuables for years.
He emphasized that the jewelry had no connection to his political activities and assured that the origins of the items and how they were kept would be fully explained to a judge. He also dismissed suggestions that they represented an attempt at personal enrichment.
Former PM Challenges Valuation of Jewelry
Investigating judge Jose Luis Calama has opened a separate inquiry regarding the jewelry, whose provenance remains undocumented. An auction house has tentatively valued them at approximately €1.3 million ($1.5 million), a figure Zapatero contests.
He remarked that had he known what scandal would ensue, he likely would not have accepted the jewelry. “Looking back, I probably would have made a different decision,” he said.
The investigation into the jewelry is just one aspect of a broader inquiry that also includes allegations that Zapatero leveraged his influence to facilitate a government-backed financial rescue for the airline Plus Ultra. He denies these claims as well.
The opposition Popular Party (PP) dismissed Zapatero’s statements on Thursday. PP spokesperson Ester Muñoz stated that while Zapatero has every right to lie, he has not addressed any of the questions or concerns the Spanish public has regarding this case.
