Bárcenas affair

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The Bárcenas Affair refers to the corruption scandal in Spain following the publication of extracts from handwritten accounts by its former treasurer and senator, Luis Bárcenas, the so-called “Bárcenas papers” (los papeles de Bárcenas), indicating that the ruling People’s Party (PP) had, for many years, kept a parallel bookkeeping system to record undeclared cash donations and which were used to pay bonuses to senior members of the party.[1]

The documents cover the period from 1990 to 2009,[2][3] and suggest that regular cash payments had been made from a slush fund, including payments of 25,000 euros ($34,000) a year, for eleven years, to the current Prime Minister, Mariano Rajoy,[4][5] including, according to El Mundo, during three of the years he served as minister in José María Aznar's government.[6]

Other leading party figures allegedly involved in the scandal include former ministers Rodrigo Rato,[2] Ángel Acebes, Federico Trillo,[7][8] and former secretaries-general, who also served as ministers, Francisco Álvarez-Cascos, who allegedly received 421,693 euros between 1990 and 2004,[9] and Javier Arenas, who allegedly received 234,320 euros,[9] and the party’s current secretary general Maria Dolores de Cospedal,[4] the most senior party member summoned to appear before the investigating judge.[6]

On 1 August 2013, after “weeks of holding out against demands that he give some sort of explanation for the corruption and illegal funding scandal that has engulfed” his party,[10] Rajoy was finally forced to address Spain's parliament by the threat of a motion of censure, and while admitting to having handled the scandal badly,[11] denied taking illegal funds.[12]

On 22 November 2013, the investigating judge releases a writ where he claims that circumstantial evidence exists that the PP maintained a parallel accounting system to the official one it presented to the Audit Court.[13]

Background

The news broke on 18 January 2013, when a leading Spanish daily, El Mundo, claimed that the PP treasurer, Luis Bárcenas had, until 2009, when he stepped down after being named a defendant in the Gürtel political corruption case,[14] been using the slush fund to pay out monthly amounts, ranging from 5,000 to 15,000 euros, to leading members of the party.[15]

On 31 January 2013, Spain’s leading daily, El País, leaked what became known as the “Bárcenas papers”, which consist of images of photocopied excerpts from a notebook showing accounts made in Bárcenas’ handwriting.[4][16][17]

Current senate president Pío García Escudero, later stated that one of the payments that figure in Bárcenas’ handwriting corresponded to a cash loan he had been given to repair damage to his home after a terrorist attack,[2] and on 13 August 2013, Cristóbal Páez, a former PP finance manager, testified that he had received 12,000 euros in two payments in 2007 and 2008, as reflected in Bárcenas' handwritten notes.[9]

At the end of June 2013, the investigating judge, Pablo Ruz, perceiving the risk of Bárcenas fleeing the country, ordered he be remanded in prison,[18] without bail, on charges of tax fraud and money-laundering.[10]

On 7 July 2013, El Mundo published an exclusive interview which its editor-in-chief, Pedro J. Ramírez, had conducted with Bárcenas in which the latter admitted the authenticity of the so-called “Bárcenas papers” which, out of loyalty to his party he had initially denied. He likewise admitted that both he and former party treasurer, Álvaro Lapuerta, had received cash donations from builders and other businessmen in “bags, suitcases and briefcases” that were used as a slush fund.[19]

Summonses served

Summonses to testify before the High Court have been issued to the following people:

  • Francisco Álvarez-Cascos – former secretary general of PP and former minister[14]
  • Javier Arenas – former secretary general of PP and former minister[14]
  • Manuel Contreras Caro (Azvy)[20]
  • Maria Dolores de Cospedal current secretary general of PP[14]
  • Juan Manuel Fernández (Aldesa)
  • Alfonso García Pozuelo (Construcciones Hispánica)[20]
  • Rosalía Iglesias Villar (Bárcenas’ wife)
  • Álvaro Lapuerta (former treasurer of PP)
  • José María Mayor Oreja (former chairman of Fomento de Construcciones y Contratas)[20]
  • Luis del Rivero (former chairman of Sacyr Vallehermoso)[20]
  • José Luis Sánchez Domínguez (Grupo Sando)
  • Ángel Sanchis (former deputy and former treasurer of PP)
  • Antonio Vilella (Construcciones Rubau)
  • Juan Miguel Villar Mir ((chairman and CEO) of OHL)

Politicians or party employees who have admitted to receiving payments

References

  1. ↑ Q&A: "Rajoy party scandal in Spain" BBC News. Retrieved 15 August 2013.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 "Spanish prime minister Rajoy accused of hiding secret income" The Guardian. Retrieved 15 August 2013.
  3. ↑ (Spanish) “Las cuentas secretas de Bárcenas” El País. Retrieved 15 August 2013.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 “Spain corruption scandal turns up heat on PM Rajoy” Reuters. Retrieved 15 August 2013.
  5. ↑ "Spain Barcenas affair: Documents 'implicate PM Rajoy'" BBC News. Retrieved 23 November 2013.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Key players: Spanish ruling party 'slush fund'" BBC News. Retrieved 15 August 2013.
  7. ↑ (Spanish) El juez Gómez Bermúdez admite la querella de Izquierda Unida por los papeles de Bárcenas. 20 minutos. Retrieved 15 August 2013.
  8. ↑ (Spanish) La contabilidad de Bárcenas indica que Rajoy y Cospedal recibieron pagos, según 'El País' 20 minutos Retrieved 15 August 2013.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 "Two former PP chiefs admit to lack of control over accounts" El País. Retrieved 15 August 2013.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 "Rajoy clings to his job" The Economist. Retrieved 15 August 2013.
  11. ↑ "Spanish PM Mariano Rajoy admits 'mistake' over scandal" BBC News. Retrieved 15 August 2013.
  12. ↑ "Spain PM denies taking illegal funds but admits handling scandal badly" The Guardian. Retrieved 15 August 2013.
  13. ↑ "“Circumstantial” evidence exists that PP kept parallel accounts, High Court says" El País. Retrieved 22 November 2013.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 "PP number two blames Rajoy and her predecessor for deal with Bárcenas" El País. Retrieved 15 August 2013.
  15. ↑ (Spanish) Bárcenas pagó sobresueldos en negro durante años a parte de la cúpula del PP El Mundo. Retrieved 15 August 2013.
  16. ↑ (Spanish) “Las cuentas secretas de Bárcenas” El País. Retrieved 15 August 2013.
  17. ↑ "Spain's ruling party says all payments to its leaders are legal" Reuters. Retrieved 15 August 2013.
  18. ↑ (Spanish) "Bárcenas, en la cárcel. Prisión incondicional sin fianza para el ex tesorero del PP" El Mundo. Retrieved 15 August 2013.
  19. ↑ (Spanish) “Cuatro horas con Bárcenas” El Mundo. Retrieved 15 August 2013.
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 20.3 (Spanish) "Uno de los cuatro empresarios de la variante de Pajares admite pagos al PP y los otros los niegan" La Nueva España. Retrieved 15 August 2013.
  21. ↑ (Spanish) “El concejal del PP, Santiago Abascal admite haber recibido 12.000 euros de Bárcenas” La Voz de Galicia. Retrieved 15 August 2013.
  22. ↑ (Spanish) “El presidente del Senado reconoce un pago anotado por Bárcenas” El País. Retrieved 15 August 2013.
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 (Spanish) “Destacados miembros del PP avalan los apuntes contables que les afectan” El País. Retrieved 15 August 2013.
  24. ↑ (Spanish) “Un cargo del PP reconoce que cobró entregas de la lista de Bárcenas” El País. Retrieved 15 August 2013.
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