An investigating court in Madrid opened a preliminary inquiry on 15 October 2026 into alleged leaks of information related to the so-called caso Plus Ultra . The judge in charge, Margarita Valcarce ordered an investigation into the repeated publication of material from the investigative files and tasked the police with reporting on the source, channel and those responsible for the leaks.
The move follows an order by the investigating judge at the Audiencia Nacional, José Luis Calama, who had already ordered an inquiry on 25 June 2026 into the origin of chats between former Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero and his secretary Gertrudis Alcázar , which had appeared in the media. Both are listed as suspects in the proceedings. Following the publication of a report by the Unidad de Delincuencia Económica y Fiscal of the Policía Nacional , extracts from private and official communications, as well as appointment data, found their way into the press.
The investigative documents cited by the media mention suspicions that Zapatero used his influence on behalf of a company in South America and received a payment of €200,000 in return. This account forms part of a police report and is not accepted as proven by those concerned. The judicial authorities stress that the inquiry now ordered is concerned solely with a possible breach of confidentiality obligations and the protection of personal data; it does not determine the substantive allegations in the Plus Ultra case.
The court orders refer to the repeated and direct publication of material from the investigation, which could breach statutory confidentiality. Zapatero’s legal representatives had already requested additional measures in June 2026 to protect privacy and the confidentiality of the proceedings.
The inquiry now under way is intended to establish whether the leaks came from the courts or police, whether third parties had access to non-public files, and who, if anyone, should be held criminally or disciplinarily responsible. Possible consequences range from criminal proceedings for disclosure of confidential information to internal measures within the authorities concerned. Findings are expected only after the police report has been assessed and further evidence gathered.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).