Spain’s Prime Minister facing increasing pressures over corruption accusations

Spain's PM Mariano Rajoy has come under increasing pressure to resign following corruption allegations

Mariano Rajoy, Spain’s Prime Minister, has faced calls to resign after becoming more deeply embroiled in a corruption scandal that threatens to leave a number of high profile political casualties in its wake.

The leader of the opposition Socialist Party has suggested that Rajoy should resign following further allegations published in the El Mundo newspaper that he received illegal cash payments from Luis Barcenas, the People’s Party treasurer, while he was serving in a previous government…

Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba, who is the Socialist Party leader, said on Sunday: “It is untenable for the Prime Minister to remain in office a moment longer.” Rubalcaba’s calls come despite the People’s Party’s rebuttal of the allegations, denying the existence of the so-called ‘slush fund’ which – El Mundo claims – handled illegally funnelled money paid to Rajoy and his aides for almost two decades.

Most of the money is alleged to have come from construction companies keen to persuade Rajoy to turn a blind eye to potentially illegal building projects.

Barcenas has testified in court this week, charged with bribery and tax fraud. Last week he spoke exclusively to an El Mundo reporter where it is claimed he willingly handed over the original ledgers that show Rajoy was knowingly accepting corrupt money.

El Mundo has also published a transcript that it purports is a series of text messages sent between Barcenas and Rajoy, with one message showing that Rajoy was close to – and supported – Barcenas when news of the scandal first broke last year. “Luis,” it read, “nothing is easy but we’ll do what we can. Cheer up.”

Later, at the turn of the year, it is alleged that Rajoy followed up that text with even more words of encouragement: “Luis, I understand. Stay strong. I’ll call you tomorrow. A hug.”

Rajoy’s press team is declining to comment on the case, but Rajoy himself has rejected calls to stand down.
“The only thing the text messages published show is that the rule of law does not bow to blackmail,” Rajoy said in a press conference on Monday.

“Let nobody think we shall be swayed from our quest to transform the country and get Spain out of crisis. Spain is a serious country, and I naturally want to help keep it that way.”