The PSOE has lashed out this Monday against the Partido Popular for the summons of former President of the Government José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero before the Senate's investigation committee on the rescue of the airline Plus Ultra, calling it “political persecution”. From Ferraz they point out that Zapatero is “the latest victim” of a campaign of “hoaxes and mud” driven by the popular ones, and they criticize that institutional resources are used for strictly partisan purposes.
The Minister for Digital Transformation and Public Function, Óscar López, has defended Zapatero's integrity and trajectory and has stated that there is no involvement of the former president in the rescue of Plus Ultra, emphasizing that the accusations lack foundation. According to the PSOE, the Upper House should not serve the “partisan glory” of the PP but rather represent the territories and legislate responsibly on matters of general interest.
The socialists have also highlighted the coincidence of the appearance with the start of the electoral campaign in Castilla y León, which in their opinion evidences an opportunistic use of the Senate committee to wear down the PSOE in the midst of a political contest. They denounce an “institutional degradation” and the use of any parliamentary space for the public targeting of political adversaries.
In a counterattack gesture, the PSOE has challenged the PP to apply the same criterion to other former presidents if the Senate commission should really serve to investigate any relevant link of political leaders with media cases. Along those lines, they have raised whether the PP will also call to testify José María Aznar so that he clarifies alleged connections with the American pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, which further intensifies the confrontation between both parties.
