José Luis Ábalos

José Luis Ábalos, the former Minister of Transport and a key figure in Pedro Sánchez's government, is currently at the center of a high-profile corruption trial. He has been sentenced to 24 years in prison by Spain's Supreme Court for allegedly accepting bribes related to public contracts for sanitary equipment, specifically face masks, during the COVID-19 pandemic. The case, often referred to as the 'Caso Mascarillas' or 'Caso Koldo,' involves his former aide, Koldo García, who received a 19-year sentence. Recent developments in the trial include testimonies from associates and business figures, such as businessman Víctor de Aldama and Claudio Rivas, who allegedly gifted Ábalos a property. Defense strategies have involved attempts to portray the mask procurement as a crucial effort to supply Spain early in the pandemic and to distance the alleged illicit payments from official party expenses, with some witnesses describing the PSOE's expense policies as "very rigid." The trial is significant as it represents one of several scandals to have affected the current government, highlighting issues of corruption in public procurement.