The President of the Government, Pedro Sanchezannounced the regeneration of the country upon taking office on June 2, 2018, and, that same month, two detained members of the two PSOE plots uncovered so far also took command of the state’s two major public money platforms.
On the one hand, the Organizing Secretary of the PSOE, then and now imprisoned, Jose Luis Abalosthe Ministry of Transport took over and, on the other hand, the person detained since this Thursday, Vicente Fernándezthe presidency of the State Company of Industrial Participations (Sepi), whose headquarters had to welcome the judicial police this Wednesday in search of documentation on alleged fraud.
Ábalos’ ministry manages an annual budget of 11 billion euros and runs a large group of companies that includes Renfe and Adif. For its part, Sepi, formerly INI, is the main investment and business holding branch of the State. It manages around 6 billion in revenue annually – 3,000 during Fernández’s era – and the majority of the state’s stakes in major companies in the country such as Correos, Navantia, Tragsa, Mercasa and RTVE. TAlso minority but controlling companies in listed companies such as Telefónica Redeia, Enagás and Indra. In total, it is present directly or indirectly in 125 companies in Spain.which are essential to the functioning of the State. Mercasa and Enusa, listed in police archives, for example, constitute a key pillar of Spain’s food supply chain and the supply of uranium to nuclear power plants, respectively.
The investigation indicates that the two plots operated separately with the former socialist leader. Santos Cerdan as a common contact.
Ábalos and Koldo allegedly operated alongside Cerdán to obtain bites at the Ministry of Transport with the rigging of public tenders for masks, road and railway construction. Fernández and the one known as the plumber of the PSOE, Leire Diezparticipated in the large and appetizing cake of rewards from Sepi and some of its companies.
Thus, we seek to know whether the PSOE’s plots are spreading the cancer of corruption in public services and strategic companies for the State. It is difficult to find better pockets of public money to try deals with than the Ministry of Transport and the old INI. Sepi also has an international dimension, since it also channels Spain’s participation in the European giant Airbus. yourIts subsidiary Sepides, whose headquarters was registered this Thursday, also manages European funds.
Sepi carried out unusual police searches at its headquarters and in some of its subsidiaries without a single official explanation. The Minister of Finance and current number two of the PSOE, Maria Jesus Monteroshe limited herself to distancing herself from Fernández, even though she appointed him and left his position vacant for 16 months. Fernández, who had been auditor of his accounts as an advisor to the Andalusian Treasury, had to leave the presidency of Sepi in October 2019 when he was indicted for the Aznalcóllar mine, but Montero refused to replace him with the certainty of returning him to his post as soon as he was removed from office.
Fernández is credited with maintaining his influence in the management of Sepi in the shadows throughout this period. In March 2021 and given the abnormal vacancy of the position, Montero finally replaced him with the current president of Sepi, Belen Gualda.
Fernández’s arrest for corruption is striking not only because of his training as guardian of public accounts, but also because the presidency of Sepi is the highest paid position in the State, above 200,000 euros gross per year. Another peculiarity is that this Andalusian official found that he could not return to Sepi and asked the Government Conflict of Interest Office for authorization to work in the only Navarrese company Servinabar, in which Cerdán owns, according to the UCO, 45% of the capital.
At the same time, Fernández established a relationship with another trusted person of Cerdán, Leire Diez. She first worked at the aforementioned Enusa, then joined Correos. There he began a rapid career and, shortly after his arrival, as published in this newspaper, he managed to obtain the then president and former chief of staff of Pedro Sánchez, Juan-Manuel Serranowill remove the director of innovation to entrust this position to the plumber.
The government which gave members of both parties power and public positions in such strategic positions is currently dissociating itself from everyone.
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