Spain: Authorities enter headquarters of ruling Socialist Party, which has been marred by corruption

Agents of the Central Operational Unit (UCO) of Spain's Civil Guard entered the headquarters of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) this Friday to seize material from Santos Cerdán, a member of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's inner circle, now accused of corruption.

A few days ago, the former PSOE No. 3 resigned from his position and his seat in the Congress of Deputies after the UCO published a report in which he is considered as leader of a "criminal organization." Numerous international media outlets have reported on this case.

Judge Leopoldo Puente, of the Spanish Supreme Court, issued an order for the authorities to access Ferraz, as the PSOE headquarters is known, and "proceed to access and clone the contents that could be found in the corporate email account" of Cerdán.

In addition, Judge Puente also required the authorities to go to the Ministry of Transport to intervene the corporate email account of José Luis Ábalos, who held the position of minister of transport and is also accused of being part of the same plot as Cerdán.

Illegal awards in exchange for money, Sánchez does not resign

This corruption case, in which several of Sánchez's closest colleagues are allegedly involved, has hit the Spanish prime minister hard.

On June 13, shortly after the UCO report came to light, Sánchez appeared in perhaps the most awkward press conference he has done since he became prime minister.

Clearly flustered and disjointed, Sánchez simply said that "he knew absolutely nothing" of what Cerdán, along with Ábalos and other defendants, were doing behind his back.

"I want to apologize because until this very morning I was convinced of Santos Cerdán's integrity. I knew absolutely nothing," Sánchez 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.

Since that day, the media began to publish different recordings made by Koldo García, another of the accused, in which García, Ábalos and Cerdán can be heard talking about "illegal" public contracts being awarded, among other crimes, in exchange for large sums of money.

In those recordings, they are also heard discussing other matters, including mocking alleged prostitutes with whom they had sexual relations. This is not in accordance with PSOE's feminist platform in the slightest.

This plot and similar ones involving other members of Sánchez's entourage, including his wife, Begoña Gómez, and his brother, David Sánchez, have only raised tension within the government and across Spain. Despite more and more voices calling for his resignation and the calling of elections, the prime minister has ruled this out as he clings to his post.