Madrid – A former minister in Spain has accused Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez of leading a “criminal organization,” escalating a deepening political crisis centered around alleged corruption. The accusations, made by José Luis Ábalos, arrive as he prepares to testify in a corruption case involving alleged irregularities in the awarding of contracts for COVID-19 masks.
Ábalos, who served as transport minister until 2021, reportedly made the claims regarding Sánchez’s leadership, according to reports on December 2, 2025. Sánchez has dismissed the allegations as “lies” and insisted his government will not succumb to “blackmail or threats.”
The case, known as the “Koldo Case” or “Ábalos Case,” began in February 2024 and centers on Ábalos and his former advisor, Koldo García Izaguirre. It initially focused on questions surrounding the procurement of masks during the pandemic, but has since expanded to include other alleged scandals from Sánchez’s administrations, including the 2020 “Delcygate” incident involving a meeting with a sanctioned Venezuelan minister and scrutiny of financial dealings involving Sánchez’s wife, Begoña Gómez.
Spanish prosecutors opened an investigation in April 2022 into Soluciones de Gestión y Apoyo a Empresas (SGAE), a business services firm, over six public contracts awarded for health equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic that were not subject to the usual bidding process. One contract, awarded on March 21, 2020, involved the Ports of the State, a subsidiary of the Ministry of Transport, purchasing 8 million masks for €24.2 million.
The unfolding scandal has prompted calls for greater transparency and accountability within the Spanish government. The development underscores growing political tensions in Spain and could have implications for the country’s political landscape.
In March 2026, reports surfaced that Sánchez and Ábalos had a breakfast meeting at the Moncloa Palace following Ábalos’s dismissal as minister. During the meeting, Sánchez reportedly offered Ábalos a position as a Member of the European Parliament and showed him his garden, where he cultivates strawberries.
The accusations against Sánchez and the ongoing investigation are likely to fuel further debate and scrutiny of the Spanish government’s actions during the pandemic and beyond.
