By Mark Tanos
Spain’s elite anti-corruption unit raided the Socialist Party’s Madrid headquarters Wednesday, collecting evidence as Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez held a meeting with Pope Leo XIV in Rome.
The action adds to a list of legal troubles for the Sánchez government. The National Court indicted Ana Fuentes — the party’s finance manager since 2021 — on charges of taking part in a scheme to discredit government critics, Politico reported. The same court charged former Socialist Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero a week earlier over the 2021 Plus Ultra airlines bailout, the outlet reported.
Officers from the Civil Guard’s Central Operative Unit reached the Ferraz Street office shortly before 9 a.m., Brussels Signal reported. It was the second time in under a year that agents had entered the building, with a June 2025 visit tied to the Koldo case and former party organization chief Santos Cerdán, the outlet reported. (RELATED: Spain’s Socialist Workers’ Party Will Grant Amnesty To 500,000 Foreigners In Country)
Agents sought records linked to a sealed portion of a probe centered on Leire Díez, the party’s former operative facing influence peddling allegations, Euronews reported. The officers were also set to search the home of Socialist Party figure Gaspar Zarrías, who reportedly played a key role in hiring Díez, the outlet added.
Sánchez spoke after his audience with the pope. “We respect the justice system, we will collaborate with the courts and there is the commitment in the Socialist Party that if there are new episodes of improper behavior, we will act with the same firmness we always have,” he said at a news conference in Rome, according to the Associated Press (AP).
Alberto Núñez Feijóo, leader of the center-right opposition People’s Party, said on his way into Congress that “Its extreme seriousness speaks for itself,” Euronews reported.
The legal pressure also touches Sánchez’s family, Fox News reported. His wife, Begoña Gómez, faces an investigation over alleged business irregularities, and his brother David Sánchez awaits trial on influence peddling charges. The prime minister told reporters Wednesday he plans to seek another term, declaring, “I am determined to run in the next general election in 2027,” the outlet reported.
Spain must hold a general election no later than Aug. 22, 2027.
