Former Spanish Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero appeared before Judge José Luis Calama at the Audiencia Nacional (Spain's high court for serious crimes) on Wednesday as a formal suspect — marking the first time an ex-head of government has faced a judge in this capacity in modern Spanish democracy. The magistrate attributes to Zapatero alleged offences including criminal organisation, influence peddling, money laundering, and document falsification, placing him at the "apex" of a structure that allegedly facilitated a €53 million pandemic-era bailout granted by the current Sánchez government in 2021 to the airline Plus Ultra, with commissions to Zapatero and his circle estimated at between two and four million euros. The case, rooted in a transnational investigation into Venezuelan businessmen accused of laundering funds linked to official corruption in Venezuela, was further complicated when a May search of Zapatero's Madrid office uncovered nearly 80 pieces of jewellery valued at approximately €1.3 million, prompting a separate inquiry into fiscal crimes; Zapatero, who denies all charges and describes the proceedings as a politically motivated "witch hunt," was expected to continue his testimony on Thursday.