False Testimony Complaint Filed Against Socialist party Official in Koldo Mask contract Case
A Madrid judge has accepted a complaint alleging false testimony against Santos Cerdán, the former general secretary of the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE), stemming from his statements during a parliamentary inquiry into the controversial mask contracts linked to the “Koldo case.” The complaint, filed by the association Hazte Oír, centers on discrepancies between Cerdán’s testimony and evidence presented by the Civil Guard’s Central Operational Unit (UCO).
The Hazte Oír association, acting as the popular accuser in a related Supreme Court case investigating alleged corruption crimes, formally lodged the complaint based on Cerdán’s remarks delivered on April 30, 2024, before the Senate’s commission of inquiry. The broader investigation involves former Minister of Transport José Luis Ábalos and his former advisor, Koldo García, who served in the ministry between 2018 and 2021.
According to the complaint, Cerdán allegedly misrepresented the extent of his interactions wiht Koldo García, claiming he met with him no more than two or three times between 2021 and 2023. He also reportedly denied knowledge of García’s role as a for-profit intermediary in mask procurement and asserted he did not provide instructions to favor specific companies or engage in any direct or indirect business dealings with García.
During the April 30th session, Cerdán – who has been in preventive detention since June following a Supreme Court order – characterized his relationship with García as akin to “a companion, like many others of the 180,000 members of the Socialist Party.” He further stated that after García left the ministry in 2021, he only saw him “on two occasions: once, as soon as he left, and another, in october of 2023.” When directly questioned about UCO reports indicating frequent communication with García, Cerdán responded, “I had not seen the file.” He added, “When we have the dump we will see it, and you will see what my relationship was with Mr. Koldo García. Moreover, I hope that the conversations and whatsapp messages, if any, are also heard, and they will see that there is no relationship.”
Though, the complaint alleges that reports from the UCO, which became available almost a year after cerdán’s Senate appearance, contradict his statements. The ongoing investigation led by Judge Leopoldo Puente,purportedly reveal a pattern of consistent contact between Cerdán and García.
The head of Court of Instruction 24 in Madrid has admitted the complaint and has requested that Congress verify whether Cerdán is still subject to the jurisdiction of the Cortes, according to a resolution reviewed by ABC. This move signals a potential shift in the legal landscape as the investigation into the Koldo case continues to unfold, raising further questions about the extent of involvement by high-ranking officials in the controversial mask contracts.
Related reading
- The Senate Blue Slip, Explained: The Custom Trump Wants Gone (daybreakwire.com)
