Vicente Vallés has analyzed José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero’s explanations about the jewels found in his office during the investigation of the Plus Ultra case. The former president told the judge that it was a personal gift from King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, received in 2007, when he was still at the head of the Government.
He director and presenter of Antena 3 Noticias 2 He opened his comment on Wednesday with an assessment of the former president’s judicial situation. “In the four months that have passed since the National Court investigated José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, it has been confirmed that the former president has serious difficulties in dismantling the accusations against him,” he stated.
Vallés focused his intervention on the defense strategy and the different explanations that, as he noted, have been offered about the origin of the pieces. He also distinguished between the judicial path of the investigation and its political consequences.
Vallés questions the versions about the jewelry
The journalist placed the discovery of the jewelry among the most striking episodes of the procedure. “Zapatero’s entourage first said that they were inherited jewelry,” he said. He then pointed out a change in that explanation. “And he denied that they came from Saudi Arabia. Now they do come from Saudi Arabia.”.
Vallés recalled that the version presented to the judge attributes the gift to the King Abdullah in 2007. “It so happens that Abdalá is dead, so he will not be able to deny Zapatero,” he added.
In his analysis, the presenter also interpreted that the defense is giving priority to obtaining the annulment of the procedure or to having the possible crimes considered prescribed. He linked this strategy to the difficulties that, in his opinion, the former president faces in responding to suspicions. This is the journalist’s assessment of an investigation that is still open.
Zapatero assures that it was a personal gift
In the brief sent to Judge José Luis Calama, Zapatero’s defense maintains that the jewels were a “strictly personal” gift from the Saudi monarch. It places the delivery in La Moncloa during the official visit that Abdalá made on June 18 and 19, 2007.
The former president assures that he accepted them “out of deference and as a sign of gratitude.” He also states that they remained stored together with other family pieces, that he did not use them and that he was “not aware of their material value.”
The explanation responds to the judge’s request, who had granted three days to provide documentation on its origin. The document does not include the documents requested to prove that origin and suggests that the magistrate request legal assistance from Saudi Arabia if he considers the version offered insufficient.
The lawyers also point out that they sent a letter to the head of protocol of the Saudi Royal Court to obtain confirmation. Given the lack of response, they sent a second communication on August 12.
An appraisal of 1.32 million euros
The pieces, which include rubies, emeralds and sapphires, were valued by the Ansorena jewelry store in 1.32 million euros. The defense questions this assessment and emphasizes that time has elapsed 19 years from the date on which Zapatero claims to have received them.
Calama has requested a new expert report. The jewelry is investigated in a separate open room to clarify whether there could have been crimes against the Public Treasury and contraband.as its origin is unknown.
Vallés closed his intervention by returning to the political consequences of the case. “We will see if the former president’s legal defense prospers. What is now evident is that the political defense has serious problems in prospering,” he concluded.