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A former senior official in Spain’s ruling Spanish Socialist Workers’ party (PSOE) has been remanded in custody by a supreme court judge investigating corruption allegations that have put the country’s centre-left government under unprecedented pressure.
Santos Cerdán, who served as the PSOE’s organisational secretary and was the right-hand man of the prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, quit earlier this month after a judge found “firm evidence” of his possible involvement in taking kickbacks on public construction contracts.
Cerdán’s alleged criminal activities, which have become the latest in a slew of corruption allegations against Sánchez’s circle, led the prime minister to demand his resignation and to apologise to voters, but he dismissed calls for a snap general election.
On Monday, Cerdán appeared at the supreme court to testify over the allegations – which he denies – of bribery, influence peddling and criminal association. After giving evidence, he was denied bail and remanded in custody by the judge, Leopoldo Puente.
The investigation began after the anti-corruption unit of the Guardia Civil police force handed material to the court that suggested Cerdán had discussed taking kickbacks on public contracts with the former PSOE transport minister José Luis Ábalos and one of the minister’s aides, Koldo García. Ábalos and García are also under investigation and have denied wrongdoing. Cerdán, who stepped down from his party role and resigned his parliamentary seat shortly after the news broke, has vowed to clear his name.
Sánchez, who became prime minister in 2018 after using a motion of no confidence to turf the corruption-mired conservative People’s party (PP) out of government, is already contending with graft investigations relating to his wife and his brother, who both deny any wrongdoing. A former PSOE member was also recently implicated in an alleged smear campaign against the Guardia Civil police unit investigating the corruption allegations.
Speaking after the judge’s decision, the prime minister said: “We acted firmly and now it will be up to the judicial authorities to establish Mr Cerdán’s responsibility.”
But the move led the PP to renew its demands for a fresh election.
“The person who Sánchez personally chose as his number two six months ago is today off to prison, accused of criminal charges including bribery,” said the party’s leader, Alberto Núñez Feijóo. “If that doesn’t call for a resignation and an election, then it means [Sánchez] has totally lost touch with reality.”
