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Former Spanish Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero is under judicial investigation for alleged influence peddling, with new details emerging about his post-presidency business activities and his involvement in the so-called 'cloacas' scandal. According to multiple sources, Zapatero's secretaria, Gertrudis Alcázar, managed an extensive agenda of meetings with business figures, politicians, and individuals tied to corruption cases.
Zapatero engaged in a range of private-sector activities after leaving office, including consulting, board memberships, and international travel to seek investors. La Vanguardia reports that, like other former PMs, he received office expenses and perks, but Spain lacks rules on private-sector work. ABC revealed that Zapatero traveled to Bolivia with Venezuelan businessmen Domingo and Guillermo Amaro Chacón, who paid €500,000 to his daughters' company via a shell firm, to court investors. Source: ABC
El Confidencial reports that Zapatero met with Santos Cerdán and Gaspar Zarrías shortly after the launch of the operation that later became the 'cloacas' investigation, where Leire Díez gathered intelligence on judges and police. According to El Español, Zapatero wrote "four pages of ideas" for Díez's press conference. Source: El Español Infobae adds that Zapatero scheduled a meeting with Díez four days after her court appearance. Source: Infobae
El Español notes that Moncloa has begun to distance itself from Zapatero as the investigation advances, with Pedro Sánchez modulating his support. Sánchez previously expressed full backing but has since avoided mentioning the jewelry found in Zapatero's safe. Source: El Español
The combined evidence paints a picture of a former prime minister deeply embedded in political and business networks amid serious legal inquiries.
“Zapatero viajaba con los pagadores de sus hijas para buscar inversores internacionales. Estos empresarios venezolanos pagaron más de medio millón de euros a la empresa de las hijas de Zapatero mediante una sociedad instrumental que carecía de sede social o de infraestructura.”
“El expresidente José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero escribió 'cuatro folios con ideas' para que la fontanera de Ferraz Leire Díez se defendiera ante los medios, en la rueda de prensa que ofreció el 4 de junio de 2025.”
“José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero tenía previsto reunirse con Leire Díez apenas cuatro días después de que esta compareciera ante el juez Arturo Zamarriego el 17 de noviembre de 2025.”
“Las agendas de José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero permiten cruzar su actividad con acontecimientos que ahora investiga la justicia. Uno de ellos es la coincidencia en un breve espacio de tiempo entre el lanzamiento de la operación de las cloacas y reuniones del expresidente con los muñidores de aquella estrategia.”