Delcy Rodríguez sues Víctor de Aldama for slander over PDVSA envelope

Venezuelan interim president Delcy Rodríguez has filed a slander lawsuit against Spanish businessman Víctor de Aldama after he refused to retract claims that she gave him a brown envelope linked to state oil company PDVSA, allegedly used to fund Spain's Socialist Party (PSOE) and the Socialist International. The conciliation hearing took place Thursday in a Madrid court, where Aldama's lawyer stated his client would not withdraw the statements, prompting Rodríguez's legal team to proceed with the criminal complaint Source: infobae.

The Allegations

Aldama, a key figure in the Koldo corruption case, first mentioned the envelope in February 2026 during judicial questioning regarding a separate tax fraud case. He claimed Rodríguez handed him the envelope on February 4, 2020, shortly after her controversial arrival at Madrid's airport on January 20. The envelope, described in Civil Guard reports as "a brown envelope" with former PDVSA president Manuel Quevedo as sender and Rodríguez as addressee, allegedly contained documents linked to the oil sector Source: infobae. According to Aldama, the contents were used for illicit financing of PSOE and the Socialist International Source: diariolibree.

The Legal Action

Rodríguez's legal team, led by former judge Baltasar Garzón's firm ILOCAD, gave Aldama an opportunity to retract before filing the lawsuit. After his refusal, they filed a querella for slander (injuries) Source: diariolibree. Aldama had previously delivered the envelope to the judge investigating secret cash payments in PSOE (case Koldo), which also involves former minister José Luis Ábalos and Koldo García Source: infobae.

• Aldama was recently sentenced to 4.5 years in prison for corruption related to mask contracts during the pandemic, reduced due to cooperation Source: diariolibree.
• The UCO (Civil Guard) considered Rodríguez's "intermediation" key, noting the envelope was delivered to Aldama just days after her Madrid visit Source: infobae.

What's Next

The criminal case will now proceed in Spanish courts, where Rodríguez seeks to prove the allegations false. The case adds another layer to the ongoing Koldo investigation, which has implicated high-ranking PSOE officials.