Jésica Rodríguez, head at Tragsatec, alleges that Adif demanded her to cease their "harassing" actions
In a significant development, Spain's Audiencia Nacional (National Court) has formally charged Isabel Pardo de Vera, the former president of Adif, and Javier Herrero, the ex-director general of Carreteras, over allegations of involvement in a corrupt network linked to the irregular awarding of public contracts. The investigation, centred around Tragsatec, suggests that these former officials granted lucrative contracts in exchange for payments intended for personal enrichment and possible illegal financing of the Partido Socialista Obrero Español (PSOE) party.
The ongoing probe also implicates Pardo de Vera in a separate scandal concerning nepotism, or "enchufes," particularly relating to Jessica Rodríguez, the former partner of José Luis Ábalos. Rodríguez is alleged to have received a public salary without performing work on-site through arbitrary hiring in public companies such as Ineco and Tragsatec.
The Operational Central Unit (UCO) of the Civil Guard has concluded that Joseba García, the brother of Koldo García, the former ministerial advisor of Abalos, was responsible for filling out the monthly work parts of Rodriguez. The Supreme Court and the magistrate in charge of a part of the Koldo case have both appreciated indications of Pardo de Vera's participation in the hiring of Rodriguez in Ineco and Tragsatec.
Pardo de Vera and Herrero are set to be interrogated next Monday, marking an important step in this broad investigation that touches on high-level corruption linked to public contract management under the shadow of PSOE's organizational leadership.
Virginia Barbancho, the manager overseeing Rodriguez's work at Tragsatec in 2021, testified that she detected irregularities in Rodriguez's work and reported them to her superiors. After receiving an order to stop "harassing" Rodriguez, Barbancho communicated this incident to her manager and director, who later told her to leave Rodriguez alone.
Barbancho also stated that she never had contact with Koldo García or his brother Joseba. Meanwhile, Jessica Rodriguez affirmed in the Supreme Court that she did not perform any professional or labor activity at Ineco and Tragsatec for approximately two and a half years.
The investigation into these allegations continues, with further court appearances scheduled in the coming months. This development underscores the ongoing efforts to address corruption and hold those in positions of power accountable for their actions.
The investigation into the corruption scandal surrounding Spain's PSOE party includes allegations of an average of millions of euros diverted from lucrative public contracts, implicating high-level officials such as Isabel Pardo de Vera and Javier Herrero in policy-and-legislation irregularities and politics. The ongoing probe also uncovers a separate scandal involving nepotism, where Pardo de Vera is alleged to have played a part in arbitrary hiring practices that benefited Jessica Rodríguez, a former partner of a PSOE member.