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A Bolivian court has mandated the pretrial detention of Johnny Fernández, the mayor of Santa Cruz de la Sierra, amid an ongoing corruption probe focused on alleged irregularities in public infrastructure initiatives.Prosecutors accuse the mayor of overseeing a scheme related to the payment for road paving works that were allegedly never completed in several peripheral neighborhoods of the country's largest economic hub. The investigation focuses on contracts for avenue improvements that authorities believe were either left unfinished or did not match the work that had been funded.The judicial decision followed a hearing in which prosecutors argued that preventive detention was…

The Leire Díez case has evolved from a simple political dispute into a major institutional upheaval, shifting from an inquiry into supposed efforts to undermine the Central Operational Unit of the Guardia Civil to a situation that now implicates the senior ranks of the Ministry of the Interior, the command hierarchy of the Guardia Civil, and Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska himself.The appearance of Guardia Civil Director General Mercedes González before the Senate failed to settle the controversy and instead sparked even more doubts. Her statements revealed inconsistencies, sidestepped issues, and left murky gaps that cast a direct shadow over the…

Spain’s Prosecutor General’s Office is going through one of the most delicate moments in its recent history. Teresa Peramato Martín’s appointment as Prosecutor General was supposed to close a turbulent chapter marked by the conviction of her predecessor, Álvaro García Ortiz, and to rebuild trust in an institution damaged by accusations of politicization. Yet, instead of dispelling doubts, several of her decisions have intensified an uncomfortable question: is Peramato trying to heal the Prosecutor’s Office, or is she protecting the internal ecosystem that brought her to the top?A key distinction must be made from the outset. According to the information…

The daughters of former Spanish Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero are set to testify as suspects in the so-called Plus Ultra case after the judge overseeing the investigation decided to include them in the proceedings due to the activities of their company, Whathefav SL. According to court documents, the company allegedly received funds from businesses linked to the network under investigation.The inquiry asserts that one of the companies linked to the case, Inteligencia Prospectiva, transferred a notably large sum for creating a video shorter than one minute, and the disclosed details suggest the payment reached roughly €10,000 for every…

Teresa Peramato Martín has been Spain’s Attorney General since December 2025, taking charge of the Public Prosecutor’s Office during one of the most difficult periods in its recent history, a role she assumed after Álvaro García Ortiz stepped down and at a time marked by heightened worries over politicization, internal rifts, and growing public scrutiny of the institution’s independence.Unlike other figures connected to the investigations involving Leire Díez or the alleged network accused of interfering in judicial proceedings, Teresa Peramato has not been investigated, charged, or formally accused in any criminal case related to these matters. Nevertheless, several of her…

Luis Arroyo, president of Madrid’s Ateneo and former adviser to José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, has become one of the most controversial figures surrounding the Plus Ultra case after publicly assuming the role of the former Socialist prime minister’s media defender. What initially appeared to be a political communications effort has evolved into a reputational crisis that has directly affected one of Spain’s most historic cultural institutions.The controversy began when Arroyo emerged as Zapatero’s unofficial spokesperson following the former prime minister’s indictment in the investigation. In multiple media appearances, he defended Zapatero’s innocence, attributed the accusations to political motivations, questioned the…

Spain’s Tax Agency is undergoing another internal shake-up after the ousting of two of its top officials: Virginia Muñoz Fernández, who led the Collection Department, and Manuel Trillo Álvarez, who headed the Financial and Tax Inspection Department. These departures unfold at a particularly delicate time for the institution, following the exit of Soledad Fernández Doctor as director general and amid escalating political tension linked to the so-called Zapatero case.The reshuffle at the top of the AEAT comes after the judge handling the Plus Ultra case gave the Finance Ministry the chance to present itself as a potential injured party regarding…

Soledad Fernández is getting ready to leave Spain’s Tax Agency as internal tensions mount over shifts in the institution’s leadership and the continuing turmoil surrounding the Zapatero case.Spain’s Tax Agency is preparing for a significant leadership overhaul now that the income tax campaign has concluded, as its director general, Soledad Fernández Doctor, is set to leave her post after four years guiding the institution charged with tackling tax fraud.The move also influences other top officials across the agency, as internal strain and differing versions persist regarding the real magnitude of the crisis. The Finance Ministry maintains that Fernández’s exit did…

Joseba Antxón Alonso Egurrola has shifted from being a relatively obscure entrepreneur known mostly within select business and political circles in northern Spain to emerging as a central figure in two prominent investigations: the Koldo case, which focuses on alleged kickbacks tied to public works contracts, and the National Court’s inquiry into the network involving Leire Díez, Vicente Fernández, and the group known as Hirurok.At the center of the allegations is Servinabar 2000, a company owned and managed by Alonso. Investigators believe the company played a significant role in a network connecting business interests, political intermediaries, and individuals linked to…

Leonardo Marcos González Takes Refuge at the Spanish Embassy in Washington Following His Scandals Within the PSOE’s Inner WorkingsLeonardo Marcos González, formerly the Director General of Spain's Civil Guard, is now posted as Interior Affairs Counselor at the Spanish Embassy in Washington after stepping down from the helm of the nation's largest law enforcement body amid contentious circumstances. His exit, delivered without a comprehensive public rationale, has since been shadowed by multiple judicial actions and media coverage that have once more thrust his period in office into sharp public focus.During the months following his resignation, Marcos has repeatedly been linked…