MADRID, Spain — The Spanish Tax Agency has formally informed the National Court judge investigating the “Plus Ultra” case that it currently has active tax inspections targeting former Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, his two daughters, and a prominent businessman. The revelation adds a significant administrative layer to the ongoing criminal probe surrounding the controversial Venezuelan government contracts.
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The tax authorities in Madrid and the Valencian Community sent official communications to Judge José Luis Calama, confirming that comprehensive inspections regarding income tax, VAT, and wealth tax are currently underway for the period spanning 2021 to 2024. The individuals under administrative scrutiny include the former socialist leader, his daughters Alba and Laura, and businessman Julio Martínez Martínez. The agency sought clarification from the court on whether the ongoing criminal proceedings would suspend these administrative audits, noting that a judicial halt would interrupt the statute of limitations for determining any potential tax debts.
Under Spanish law, the Tax Agency can only suspend its investigative procedures in the event of criminal prejudiciality, which requires a formal judicial order to pause administrative actions in favor of a criminal court’s jurisdiction. In response to the agency’s inquiries, Judge Calama issued a ruling on June 29, forwarding the matter to the Public Prosecutor’s Office to issue a formal report on how the parallel proceedings should be managed.
🔴 El PSOE cree que Sánchez ya no protegerá más a Zapatero tras forzar que Hacienda lo acuse
— Vozpópuli (@voz_populi) July 7, 2026
✍️ Informa Luis Casal (@CasalMajere)
https://t.co/ocCBGkNdDx
In a separate but related development, the investigating magistrate has officially admitted the Tax Agency as an injured party in the specific branch of the investigation concerning a cache of jewelry discovered in the former prime minister’s office. The items were preliminarily valued at 1.3 million euros during an initial appraisal. Government sources indicated that the Tax Agency, operating under the Ministry of Finance, was already in the final stages of formalizing its legal representation through the State Attorney’s Office to participate in the proceedings.
Judge Calama justified the admission of the tax authority by stating that the nature of the alleged acts could constitute crimes against the Public Treasury and smuggling. He reasoned that this reveals direct patrimonial harm connected to state revenues managed by the tax authority, thereby legitimizing the agency as a potential injured party entitled to exercise both criminal and civil actions.
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As the judicial and administrative processes continue to unfold, the National Court and the Public Prosecutor’s Office will determine the precise legal interplay between the criminal investigation and the ongoing fiscal audits.
