PSOE Manager Defends Legality of Cash Payments Amid Koldo Case Scrutiny
PSOE manager Ana María Fuentes defends the legality and documentation of cash payments amid Senate investigation into party finances.
- • Ana María Fuentes asserts all PSOE payments, including cash, are documented and legitimate.
- • No parallel or undocumented accounting ('contabilidad b') exists within PSOE.
- • Cash payments are exceptional, typically replaced by transfers, especially for senators on trips.
- • PSOE manager acknowledges some cash payments to PM Pedro Sánchez but insists they are legitimate.
Key details
Ana María Fuentes, the manager of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE), strongly defended the party's accounting practices during a Senate investigation related to the Koldo case. She asserted that all payments, including cash transactions, are fully documented, legitimate, and compliant with accounting regulations. According to Fuentes, “There has not been any cash payment that is not documented in the party's accounting.” She emphasized that payments to José Luis Ábalos and Koldo García submitted to the Supreme Court are well traced, recorded in accounting books, audited by the Court of Accounts, and supported by proper documentation (113316).
Fuentes denied the existence of any parallel or "contabilidad b" accounting system within PSOE and stressed that all funds come from legitimate sources. She explained that although the party typically prefers bank transfers for payments, cash withdrawals are requested from banks when needed, especially during election campaigns. Cash payments occur only in exceptional cases, such as paying senator allowances during international trips; these will now also transition to transfers (113316).
In a related development, the PSOE manager acknowledged that Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez may have received some payments in cash. However, she maintained that these payments are legitimate and refuted claims of an undocumented cash fund within the party (113318). This admission came amid heightened public scrutiny of PSOE finances tied to the ongoing corruption investigation.
The investigation into the Koldo case focuses on financial irregularities involving high-profile PSOE officials. José Luis Ábalos has petitioned the Supreme Court to remove the PP and Vox parties from the investigation, arguing their participation obstructs citizen initiatives (113318). Meanwhile, the party's accounting transparency remains a critical issue as the Senate inquiry proceeds.
These statements by Fuentes represent the PSOE's firm stance defending its financial practices amid allegations and correlate with the party's broader efforts to maintain legitimacy and transparency during this politically sensitive period.
This article was synthesized and translated from native language sources to provide English-speaking readers with local perspectives.