Spain: International press echoes Spanish Socialist Worker's Party (PSOE) corruption scandals

Following the corruption scandal within the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE), the international press has echoed a situation that threatens the political career of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and of his party.

British newspaper The Times published an article highlighting how Sánchez challenged the opposition on Monday by treating it as "corrupt" and "reactionary" while the president fights for his political life.

Likewise, in the face of demands for his resignation, the prime minister challenged the opposition to raise a motion of censure.

Sánchez appeared before the press on Monday after a long PSOE meeting to make changes in his party after a police report by the Spanish Civil Guard's Central Operative Unit (UCO) suggested that two of his closest collaborators are implicated in corruption plots.

Those implicated are all within Sánchez's circle of influence

The No. 3 in his party, Santos Cerdán, is accused of collecting bribes in exchange for public contracts, while the report also points to former transport minister and Sánchez's right-hand man, José Luis Ábalos, and his close advisor, Koldo García.

According to The Times, the report by the UCO yielded that "Cerdán 'managed' a series of 'economic compensations' allegedly paid by Spanish infrastructure giant Acciona to Ábalos and García. The sums in question amounted to up to 1 million euros [roughly $1.15 million]."

José Luis Ábalos faces charges of corruption, including influence peddling, bribery and embezzlement.

Cerdán resigned on Friday as secretary of organization of the PSOE and this Monday as deputy, after the UCO report pointed him out as leader of a "criminal organization," while Ábalos was definitively expelled from the party on Monday.

Government apologizes, then accuses

Last week, Sánchez apologized to the public, stating that he knew nothing of the corruption scheme in which members of his party are implicated.

"I want to apologize because until this very morning I was convinced of Santos Cerdán's integrity. I knew absolutely nothing," the prime minister said in his appearance, adding that he "never" should have trusted a man who has been one of his great supporters during his political career.

The Times reported that in the face of mounting pressure within PSOE for Sánchez to resign, the prime minister has chosen the strategy of "diverting public attention by warning of the 'reactionary' danger of a [Popular Party (P.P.) and Vox] government and downplaying the corruption scandal."

Likewise, in a desperate attempt, Sánchez told the press on Monday, "The so-called Koldo case is the only one to date of alleged corruption, as there is still no sentence, that has affected my organization since I have had the honor of leading it."

Brussels has announced "zero tolerance" with corruption and will take the "opportune" measures if it is proven that there were E.U. funds involved in the alleged kickback scheme for public works contracts in the Koldo case, The Times said.