ANALYSIS

Former Spanish socialist minister close to Pedro Sánchez sentenced to 24 years in prison for corruption

José Luis Ábalos, who served as minister of transportation and was a key figure in the rise of Spain's current prime minister, has been found guilty of membership in a criminal organization, bribery, embezzlement and influence peddling in a case related to the purchase of face masks during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ábalos rests his hand on Pedro Sánchez’s shoulder in CongressAFP

Published by

Israel Duro

22 de junio, 2026

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José Luis Ábalos, who served as Spain’s minister of transportation and was a key figure in the rise of Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, was sentenced Monday to 24 years in prison for corruption.

In a ruling with potential political implications in the final stretch of the legislative session, the Supreme Court convicted Ábalos of criminal organization, bribery, embezzlement and influence peddling, in a case related to the purchase of face masks during the COVID-19 pandemic.

His right-hand man at the ministry, Koldo García, was sentenced to 19 years for the same crimes. The third defendant, businessman Víctor de Aldama, who acted as a liaison between politicians and companies, was sentenced to 4 1/2 years in prison but will not serve time due to his cooperation with authorities in the case.

Judicial crackdown on Pedro Sánchez

The ruling is a setback for Sánchez, adding to his other legal headaches. His brother was recently tried for influence peddling, and his wife Begoña Gómez is one step away from going to trial and has been stripped of her passport for the same offense. Another close associate, Santos Cerdán, has also been charged with corruption.

In addition, former Socialist Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, a close ally of Sánchez, has been indicted for allegedly influencing the executive branch in exchange for illegal commissions.

"Criminal organization"

The ruling in the Ábalos case “concludes that the three defendants formed a criminal organization with a division of roles that committed serious crimes of corruption,” the judiciary reported in a statement carried by AFP.

"It considers the crimes proven in the awarding of the contract for the supply of 13 million face masks to Puertos del Estado and Adif by a company linked to Aldama” and other facts, such as the 10,000 euros per month that Ábalos received from the scheme or “the hiring of two acquaintances of the former minister at public companies.”

The court also highlights “the serious erosion of public trust in the political system caused by corruption, which undermines the democratic architecture of the state.”