This Is What Ábalos Declared Before the Supreme Court About His Meeting With Delcy Rodríguez

José Luis Ábalos appeared before the Supreme Court to explain his meeting with the Venezuelan Vice President, Delcy Rodríguez, in January 2020.

During his statement, Ábalos stated that his presence at Barajas Airport was to avoid a diplomatic crisis and that he was unaware of the entry ban that was in place against Rodríguez.

The former minister detailed that he boarded the Venezuelan official's plane, although he did not remember who joined him at that time. He also noted that the National Police ordered the crew to vacate and set up a transit area so that Rodríguez could disembark without formally entering Spanish territory.

According to Ábalos, in that transit area, a police vehicle awaited them in which both were transported. They remained in that area without Rodríguez officially entering the country.

The former minister also revealed that the Venezuelan Vice President requested to spend the night in a hotel in Madrid, a request that was denied by the National Police due to the existing restrictions.

Regarding the statements of businessman Víctor de Aldama, who claimed that Ábalos had a scheduled meeting with Rodríguez, the former minister denied that claim.

He argued that, had such a meeting existed, it would have taken place at the Ministry or the party headquarters, not at the airport. It is important to remember that, in November 2020, the Supreme Court dismissed the complaints filed against Ábalos for this incident. Considering that, although Rodríguez's entry ban was violated, this fact did not constitute a crime of malfeasance attributable to the national authority.

However, in the framework of the 'Koldo' case investigation, in October 2024, the UCO presented a report that included messages between Ábalos and President Pedro Sánchez.

In these messages, Ábalos informed Sánchez about Rodríguez's visit four days before her arrival. This contradicts previous statements by the president, who had claimed not to have prior knowledge of the stopover.

In light of this situation, Ábalos filed a complaint against the Civil Guard for alleged illegal espionage. Arguing that the interception of his communications lacked judicial authorization and violated his rights as a member of parliament.

The investigation into this matter continues, and it is expected that in the coming weeks the details related to the meeting between Ábalos and Rodríguez will be clarified. As well as the legal implications arising from the interception of communications.