On January 19, 2020, just hours before the landing of Delcy Rodríguez, the Vice President of Venezuela, at Barajas Airport in Madrid, Koldo García messaged Rafael Pérez, the number two of the Ministry of Interior, via WhatsApp to give details about the arrival of the Venezuelan leader who is prohibited from entering the European Union (EU). The messages, as per new documentation in the case, revealed that Koldo García, an advisor to the former Minister José Luis Ábalos, initiated normal procedures for the visit of a foreign authority. Rafael Pérez was informed of the situation and requested information to prepare for the arrival of Rodríguez, who was scheduled to land on the night of January 19th.
The Guardia Civil has shared the exchanged messages with the Audiencia Nacional, where Judge Ismael Moreno is investigating how a group allegedly led by entrepreneur Víctor de Aldama infiltrated the Ministry of Transport to secure public contracts with the help of Koldo García and Ábalos. The investigation does not focus on the connection between Delcy Rodríguez and the government, however the Guardia Civil has highlighted the close relationship she had with Aldama, as he operated on her behalf when dealing with Ábalos and his advisor. Aldama organized Rodríguez’s trip to Madrid, which consisted of multiple meetings with Spanish business leaders and a meeting with Ábalos in his office from Sunday, January 19 to Wednesday, January 22.
Additionally, it was revealed that Ábalos briefly informed President Pedro Sánchez of Rodríguez’s visit a few days prior, to which Sánchez simply responded with “good”. Sources from La Moncloa clarified that the Prime Minister was unaware of Rodríguez’s EU entry ban at the time. On the other hand, Rafael Pérez, the Secretary of Security and second in command at the Interior Ministry, admitted during a hearing at the Senate that he had conversed with Koldo García to finalize the visit of Delcy Rodríguez to Spain. Pérez acknowledged that García had contacted him to provide information about the arrival of the Vice President and that he requested details to organize security measures. When questioned about whether he informed Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska, Pérez could not recall the exact timing of the conversation but assumed he did inform the minister later on.
The UCO also highlighted the extensive preparations made by Aldama in advance of Rodríguez’s arrival and how he had orchestrated her visit, including business meetings and an encounter with Ábalos. Furthermore, it was disclosed that Ábalos had informed Sánchez about the visit without the knowledge of Rodríguez’s entry ban. Despite Pérez’s admission of coordinating security measures with García prior to Rodríguez’s arrival, the exact details of communication with the Ministry of Interior and other officials remain unclear. The case involving the visit of Delcy Rodríguez to Spain continues to raise questions about the transparency and decision-making processes of government officials in handling sensitive diplomatic matters.
