Spain Graft Probe Widens as Court Targets PM Sanchez's Close Ally

Spain's High Court has widened a corruption investigation to include Juan Manuel Serrano, a close former aide to Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.

The move marks another setback for the Spanish government, which is already facing growing political pressure over several corruption cases linked to people within the ruling Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE).

Although Pedro Sánchez has not been accused of any wrongdoing, the decision to expand the investigation has intensified scrutiny of his administration.

Opposition parties are expected to use the latest developments to question the government's commitment to transparency and accountability.

• Spain widens corruption probe to include former Sánchez aide Juan Manuel Serrano
• Spain High Court expands corruption investigation amid pressure on Sánchez
• Corruption inquiry deepens scrutiny of Spain's ruling Socialist government

Court Expands Corruption Investigation

The Spain High Court has ordered investigators to seize and examine Serrano's mobile phone as part of its efforts to gather evidence in the case. Authorities believe the phone may contain messages that could help determine whether there were attempts to interfere with corruption investigations involving people connected to the ruling party.

Juan Manuel Serrano, who served as Sánchez's chief of staff before becoming president of Correos, Spain's state-owned postal service, is now formally under investigation. His close working relationship with the prime minister has made the case politically significant, even though Sánchez himself is not part of the investigation.

The probe also includes Leire Díez, a former senior executive at Correos, who is considered a key figure in the case. Investigators are looking into whether public institutions were used to protect certain individuals or influence judicial investigations. Díez has denied any wrongdoing.

Another person under investigation is Vicente Fernández, the former head of SEPI, Spain's state-owned industrial holding company. He has also rejected the allegations against him.

Investigators are expected to review communications recovered from Serrano's phone to understand whether officials coordinated efforts to obstruct ongoing investigations or misuse public institutions for political purposes.

Political Pressure Continues to Grow

The expanded inquiry comes at a difficult time for Sánchez's government, which has been dealing with a series of political corruption cases involving current and former officials linked to the PSOE. While none of these cases directly involve the prime minister, they have increased pressure on his administration.

The government has maintained that it respects the independence of the judiciary and will fully cooperate with investigators. Officials have repeatedly said that legal proceedings should be allowed to continue without political interference.

Meanwhile, opposition parties have renewed their criticism of the government, arguing that the growing number of investigations raises serious questions about governance and accountability. The latest court decision is likely to fuel further political debate in parliament, where Sánchez leads a minority government that depends on support from several smaller parties.

The High Court has not announced how long the investigation will continue or whether additional individuals could be brought into the case. For now, investigators remain focused on examining evidence to determine whether public officials attempted to influence government corruption inquiries or misuse their positions.

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The outcome of the investigation could have important political consequences in the months ahead. Even though Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has not been charged with any offence, the widening probe is expected to keep his government under close public and political scrutiny as the judicial process moves forward.