Plus Ultra

Plus Ultra is an airline that has become the center of controversy due to a government bailout it received from the Sociedad Estatal de Participaciones Industriales (SEPI) during the pandemic. The airline, along with Air Europa, received a combined 528 million euros. Plus Ultra's bailout is particularly contentious due to allegations of money laundering linked to the Venezuelan government. Belén Gualda, the president of SEPI, defends the bailout, asserting that Plus Ultra met the necessary requirements and that its failure would have negatively impacted Spain's tourism competitiveness. However, the airline is under investigation by the National Police, and its solvency is being questioned, despite Gualda's claims. Julio Martínez, a businessman with ties to former President José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero and linked to Plus Ultra as a lobbyist, has been called to testify before a Senate investigation committee but has largely remained silent, citing medical reasons. The situation is politically charged, with accusations that María Jesús Montero, a prominent Socialist politician, was heavily involved in the bailout decision, potentially harming her political prospects.