Ábalos Maintained PSOE Ties While Under investigation, Even From Prison
Despite moving to the Mixed Group amid the Koldo case, former PSOE deputy José Luis Ábalos continued communication with party leadership until shortly before his imprisonment.
The ongoing saga surrounding José Luis Ábalos has taken a dramatic turn,revealing a sustained effort by the former PSOE deputy to remain connected to the party’s leadership even after being implicated in the Koldo case and shifting to the Mixed group in Febuary 2024. Sources within the socialist leadership confirm this communication persisted until just one week before Ábalos’s incarceration.
The nature of this contact centered on parliamentary procedure, with Ábalos utilizing WhatsApp to inquire about voting schedules and the PSOE’s intended positions on key legislation. This allowed the PSOE to reliably count on his vote in a closely divided legislature where every seat is crucial.
While physically distanced from his former colleagues – maintaining an office in the Plaza de las Cortes, separate from the PSOE’s headquarters on Carrera de San Jerónimo – Ábalos consistently appeared in the chamber for voting. The timing of votes is fluid,dependent on the length of plenary sessions,but Ábalos remained informed. Despite his new parliamentary alignment, he largely adhered to the Socialist Group’s directives, following instructions delivered through gestures and vocal cues during voting procedures.
data analyzed by Democrat reveals that Ábalos voted in line with the Socialist group 97% of the time in recent months. Divergences occurred on only 27 occasions, primarily through abstentions. The PSOE suffered a single legislative defeat as an inevitable result of Ábalos’s independent vote.
That instance involved a bill proposed by Sumar to grant nationality to Sahrawis born under Spanish management. Ábalos voted in favor, aligning himself with the entire chamber except for the PSOE, wich voted against the measure. Vox abstained.
Currently, Ábalos remains a deputy, though his parliamentary rights are suspended following his imprisonment. However, his political activity has not ceased. Since last week, he has escalated his public criticisms of the PSOE.
On Monday, he publicly addressed questions to Transport Minister Oscar Puente regarding alleged irregularities at the Port of Valencia. Then, on Wednesday, just prior to his court appearance, he confirmed via X (formerly Twitter) details reported by EL ESPAÑOL concerning a meeting between prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, PSOE party leader Santos Cerdán, and Bildu leader Arnaldo Otegi, stating his information came from “in-person sources.”
Following the judge’s decision to detain him without bail, Ábalos granted an interview to El Mundo, alleging that an investigation into the Air Europa bailout could implicate Begoña Gómez, the wife of Pedro Sánchez. His account on X remains active, now titled “In the name of Ábalos,” where he maintains his innocence and asserts his imprisonment is the result of systemic forces.
The PSOE has dismissed Ábalos’s claims as the grievances of a disgruntled figure. “Ábalos is crying. Let him speak,” a source within the party leadership stated. Publicly, officials have been forceful in their rejection of his accusations.
Both PSOE spokesperson Montse Minguez and deputy secretary general Maria Jesús Montero have repeatedly asserted that the PSOE “is not going to allow itself to be blackmailed by anyone” and that all of Ábalos’s statements are “falsehoods.” The unfolding situation underscores the deep fissures within the Spanish political landscape and raises questions about the future of Ábalos’s political career.
