A Spanish Supreme Court judge has ordered the former secretary for organisation of Spain’s ruling PSOE socialist party, Santos Cerdán (main image), to be held in pre-trial detention without bail but with communication rights, dealing a fresh blow to Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.
Cerdán faces charges of ‘alleged crimes of membership of a criminal organisation, bribery and influence peddling’.
A leaked police report published in mid-June accuses Cerdán of managing illegal commission payments tied to public contracts.
The report includes eight audio recordings of conversations between Cerdán, former transport minister José Luis Ábalos, and Ábalos’s former aide, Koldo García. In these recordings, they allegedly discuss €620,000 in illicit commission payments. ALSO READ: Former Spanish transport minister denies corruption allegations in court.
According to the report, Cerdán was responsible for ‘managing the alleged payments’.
Judge Leopoldo Puente’s decision came after a hearing lasting more than an hour on Monday, during which Cerdán, formerly the PSOE’s number three, denied any involvement in corruption.
According to Spanish media reports, the judge ordered Cerdán’s arrest due to concerns he could either attempt to flee or tamper with evidence.
Cerdán has argued that the audio recordings being used against him were taken out of context, claiming he is the target of a political witch hunt because of his prominent role in negotiations between the Spanish government and Catalan pro-independence groups.
The case has become the most significant political crisis Sánchez has faced since taking office in 2018. ALSO READ: Smear campaigns & ‘mafia practices’ – the alleged corruption saga against Spain’s PM rolls on.
Sánchez has worked to distance both himself and his socialist party from the growing scandal, which involves allegations of corruption tied to the procurement of health supplies during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The prime minister responded to questions about Cerdán’s detention by expressing his confidence in the judicial process.
‘I respect the judiciary and its work,’ Sánchez said during a press conference in Seville alongside UN Secretary-General António Guterres.
‘Now is the time for the judiciary, and it is the justice system that has to rule on the responsibilities of Santos Cerdán in these matters,’ Sánchez added.
Sánchez has publicly apologised regarding the scandal and insists he had no prior knowledge of the alleged scheme. Nevertheless, opposition parties are demanding that he steps down and calls elections. ALSO READ: Spanish PM apologises, after senior politician resigns due to alleged link to corruption probe.
Within 24 hours of the report becoming public, Cerdán announced his resignation, stepping down from both his parliamentary seat and his senior role within the PSOE.
Despite this, he continues to assert his innocence: ‘I hope to focus on my defence and prove that I have never committed any wrongdoing.’
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📻🗣Así te ha contado @patriciarosety, jefa de Tribunales de COPE, la decisión que ha tomado el juez, Leopoldo Puente, de enviar a Santos Cerdán a prisión provisional comunicada y sin fianza#santoscerdan #psoe #pedrosanchez #politica #supremo pic.twitter.com/uqiIDtdr7p
— COPE (@COPE) June 30, 2025
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