Spain’s Zapatero says seized jewels worth $1.5 million were a ‘courtesy gift’
MADRID, July 23 (Reuters) – Former Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodríguez Zapatero said on Thursday that the 1.3 million euros ($1.5 million) worth of jewelry seized by police as part of the investigation was a personal gift given to him years ago and was never intended for financial gain.
Zapatero, who was prime minister from 2004 to 2011 and remains an influential figure in the ruling Socialist Party, is under investigation for allegations of influence peddling and denies the charges. The case is one of a series of corruption scandals affecting the party and putting political pressure on Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s government.
Zapatero told Spanish public broadcaster TVE in his first interview since coming under investigation two months ago that the jewels found during a search of his office were a “personal gift of kindness” that had been stored with other family items for years.
He said that the jewels had nothing to do with his political activities and that their origin and use would be fully explained before the judge. He rejected proposals that reflected any attempt at personal enrichment.
Investigative Judge Jose Luis Calama opened a separate investigation into the jewelry, whose origin, according to investigators, was not documented. An auction house tentatively valued them at around 1.3 million euros ($1.5 million), but Zapatero disputes that estimate.
Zapatero said that in hindsight, he might not have accepted the gift.
“Looking back, I probably would have made a different decision,” he said.
The jewels are part of a wider investigation that also includes allegations that Zapatero profited by using his influence to secure the state-backed rescue operation of airline Plus Ultra. He also denies these allegations.
The opposition People’s Party (PP) rejected Zapatero’s comments on Thursday.
PP spokeswoman Ester Muñoz said Zapatero “had the right to lie, but he did not answer any of the Spanish’s questions or doubts about the case.”
($1 = 0.8779 euro)
(Reporting by Emma Pinedo; additional reporting by Javi West Larrañaga, Editing by Charlie Devereux and Gareth Jones)
