Spain's Supreme Court sentences former Socialist minister José Luis Ábalos to 24 years
Spain's Supreme Court has sentenced José Luis Ábalos, a former transport minister under Pedro Sánchez, to 24 years in prison for corruption tied to Covid-era mask procurement. The verdict piles fresh pressure on the prime minister's already fragile coalition government.
Spain's Supreme Court has sentenced former transport minister José Luis Ábalos to 24 years in prison, El País reports. The charges, brought by the Fifth Criminal Chamber, centre on kickbacks, the creation of a criminal organisation and the misuse of public funds linked to government mask-procurement contracts signed in 2020 and 2021.
The court ruled that the defence retains an appeal route but that Ábalos must enter prison immediately. The verdict landed in the same week that a judge ordered Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's wife Begoña Gómez to stand trial in a separate corruption case. Opposition leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo said « the coalition's moral foundation has collapsed ».
Spanish bond markets reacted in measured fashion: the 10-year yield ticked up four basis points, while the IBEX 35 closed 0.3% lower. The euro was steady against the dollar. The government said the verdict « reflects individual responsibility and does not bind the institutions »; an internal cabinet committee will reopen procurement-process oversight on Wednesday.
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