đ This Week in Spain: SĂĄnchez's Nightmare Before Christmas
Also: A legendary actor dies, Don Jr. drops by and a new members-only club in town.
By @IanMount and @AdrianBono | December 19, 2024 | Madrid | Issue #83
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đ„ This Week in a Nutshell: Hey, we didnât come up with that ânightmare before Christmasâ headline. The PPâs Cuca Gamarra did, in reference to all the court cases affecting Prime Minister SĂĄnchez directly or indirectly this week and the next, and we have to admit itâs pretty clever.
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The Nightmare Before Christmas
PM Pedro SĂĄnchez & the PSOE are facing enough corruption cases to ruin anyoneâs holiday spirit
The last week before Christmas đ is full of joyâfor most people. Thereâs picking up gifts, enjoying holiday meals with friends and colleagues, and reminding themselves not to drink too much pacharĂĄn next time even though it seems like a good idea.
But Prime Minister Pedro SĂĄnchez and his PSOE socialist party? Theyâre having the worst Christmas ever as they deal with multiple lawsuits, courtesy of judges who will definitely be getting coal for Christmas. The same goes for those former government advisers singing like canaries about corruption. Theyâre getting coal too, and no amount of pacharĂĄn will make it right.
The big case got bigger. The big court case weighing on SĂĄnchez and the PSOE used to be called the Caso Koldo after Koldo GarcĂa, an advisor to former Public Works Minister JosĂ© Luis Ăbalos whom Guardia Civil arrested earlier this year for allegedly taking bribes for millions in COVID-era mask sales. In the next chapter, VĂctor de Aldama, a Koldo associate, was accused of helping secure licenses that allowed his network to buy fuel without VAT and then resell it at full price, defrauding the Spanish taxman of âŹ182m (thatâs a lot of money). Then a few weeks ago Aldama began singing like a canary, which led us toâŠ
This weekâs excitement:
Aldama testified in the Supreme Court on Mondayâfor three hours. And for those who like corruption cases and cloak-and-dagger drama, he didnât disappoint. HeâŠ
Delivered a handwritten list of âpre-decidedâ contracts for public works, meant to be written by Koldo, that supposedly showed projects where contractors gave the group payoffs (aka âcommissionsâ) to win the work.
Insisted that his mobile phone, which is being held in the case, holds WhatsApp messages with the Finance Ministerâs chief of staff, to whom he claims to have paid a âcommissionâ of âŹ25,000 to avoid a tax investigation.
Said he paid âŹ15,000 to Santos CerdĂĄn, a top PSOE official, to get public work contracts.
Claimed he handed at least âŹ170,000 in commissions directly to Ăbalosâwhile he was public works minister.
Claimed that 1 to 1.5% of the paymentsâthe contract price or the âcommissionâ is not clearâwent to the PSOE to finance the party. (He has said this repeatedly)
Just accusations. Now, to be clear, these are just accusations, that the accusedâfrom Ăbalos to the PSOEâvehemently deny. And Koldo has played down Aldamaâs role and the meeting they had. But there are signs the judges smell something dirty. LikeâŠ
The Supreme Court has confiscated Koldoâs passport and requires him to check in every 15 days. And the same court has asked Parliament to remove Ăbalosâs immunity (as an MP) as it sees âindicationsâ of at least four crimes.
Fun times. But thereâs more.
As the PM and the PSOE are facing the fallout of this big, bad corruption scandal, two other cases affect SĂĄnchez directlyâthose of his wife and his brother.
Letâs start with Begoña. As you Tapa fans know, SĂĄnchezâs wife Begoña GĂłmez is under investigation for alleged corruption and influence peddling while she was working at the Universidad Complutenseâor, as her critics say, using her position as the PMâs wife to get things done for people and businesses who helped herâbased on an accusation by the far-right, pseudo-union Manos Limpias (aka Clean Hands).
Under the cover of dawn. Yesterday morning, she testified in the case, entering the court through the garage
to avoid embarrassing photosfor security reasons. This was the third time sheâs testified, but the first sheâs answered any questions. Her testimony lasted a little over 30 minutes and she only answered questions from her own lawyer, which is legal in a weird peculiarity of Spanish law. Nothing really to see hereânot yetâthough itâs embarrassing for a PMâs wife to have to testify in a court case. More to come.
Then thereâs Pedroâs brother. Because having one family member investigated is not enough, thereâs also the investigation launched last month into David SĂĄnchez for alleged embezzlement, influence peddling and tax fraud. If youâre wondering who made the initial accusation, yes, it was Clean Hands. Again.
Fake job? A Badajoz court is investigating David SĂĄnchez (and eight other people) to determine whether the Badajoz Provincial Council irregularly created a tailor-made position for him in 2017 (i.e. kind of a fake job) when it named him Coordinator of activities for the music conservatories in the Department of Culture, Youth, and Social Welfare of the Badajoz Provincial Council.
Nice work if you can get it. According to Clean Hands, over the last seven years pretty much all heâs done is direct one concert, back in January 2019. To put it simply, they are accusing him of collecting a salary without working. (They also said he owned BBVA shares valued at âŹ1.4m, but the bank says this is not true and that he only owns âŹ71,411.16 worth.)
Next date. David is expected back in court in January. Judge Beatriz Biedma wants the Provincial Council to provide an exact description of his job duties ASAPâsomething it hasnât done even though sheâs asked for it repeatedly.
Last but not least⊠Remember the case involving Alberto GonzĂĄlez Amador (a.k.a. Madrid regional president Isabel DĂaz Ayusoâs boyfriend)? You know, the guy indicted for committing tax fraud by issuing false invoices to hide the commissions he made selling medical equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic?
Canât say that, he says. This week, the Supreme Court admitted a lawsuit he filed against First Deputy PM MarĂa JesĂșs Montero for âunlawful intrusion into his right to honorâ (like, slander). Montero has repeatedly attacked GonzĂĄlez Amador, like on March 12 when she accused him of living in an apartment that was paid for via tax fraud. While he has admitted, via his lawyer, that he dodged taxes, he is asking for âŹ40,000 from Montero.
Tough times, Pedro! đ° But still⊠Merry Christmas!
PS: Remember weâre off for the next two weeks. Weâll be back in January.
More news below. đđ
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đŹ Five things to discuss at dinner parties this week
1. đȘŠ Mango empire struck by tragedy
Off a cliff? Saturday afternoon brought one of those unexpected eventsâyou know, the âdidnât see that comingâ kindâwith the news that the billionaire founder of the Mango empire, Isak Andic, had fallen to his death from a cliff alongside a cave path in Montsant (Barcelona). Like, really?
Hiking fan. Andic, 71, was a mountain and hiking enthusiast and was spending the day with his family walking near the caves, whose organic shapes inspired Antoni GaudĂ to design the Sagrada Familia (which is pretty cool).
Slip and fall. At one point during the walk, while he was with his son Jonathan, he slipped and fell off the edge of the cliff, from a height of more than 100 metres. And that was his end.
A little history. Born to a Sephardic Jewish family in Istanbul in 1953, Andic and his family emigrated to Barcelona in 1969, and it was there that he and his brother Nahman started selling hand-embroidered "made-in-Turkey" T-shirts.
Mango time. In 1984, they joined up with Enric CusĂ and renamed their stores Mango, after the sweetness, exotic appeal, and simplicity of the fruit he first tasted on a trip to the Philippines. Letâs just say that Mango was a successâit grew to 2,000s storesâand when he died, AndicâMangoâs sole shareholderâwas worth âŹ4.5bn, making him the 5th richest person in Spain.
Saying thereâs nothing to see here⊠A little over a day after the death, the police announced that the death was an accident.
They always investigate violent deaths. The Mossos dâEsquadra (Catalan police) took a statement from Jonathan Andic, who according to various sources was in a state of shock at what had happened when he was questioned. The mountain unit of the police inspected the area, tests were made, and the Mossos concluded that it was accidental.
People who have ideas, well⊠had ideas. Those who watch wealthy family dramas of the Succession type noted that Jonathan was the oldest heir and that he had served as CEO for a few years starting in 2014 before he was removed by his father after a series of mounting losses. (We live in a world of âarmchair detectivesâ now so the theory that he had something to do with his fatherâs death inevitably took the internet by storm).
The funeral was massive. Spainâs business world came out to pay their respects, with a whoâs who of leaders including Mercadona boss Juan Roig (Spainâs 4th richest person).
Tributes. The political world paid tribute too, with PM Pedro SĂĄnchez saying, âAll my love and recognition for your great work and business vision, which has turned this Spanish firm into a world leader in fashion,"
2. đ The (divisive) Norwegian show La Palma on Netflix
Hey, look at us reviewing TV shows now!
Actually, we donât (at least not normally) but we can guarantee that La Palma will come up in conversation so itâs better if youâre in the loop.
La Palma is a four-episode disaster show that follows a Norwegian family that flies to the island of La Palma (one of the Canary Islands) for Christmas and gets trapped there during a volcanic eruption. Whatâs worse, this eruption is what vulcanologists call The Big One, which will cause half of the island to suddenly slide into the ocean and create a megatsunami that kill pretty much everyone, everywhere.
No, itâs not your typical Hallmark Christmas movie.
Now, before we discuss a few ridiculous and infuriating plot points, let us clarify that this whole âisland sliding into the oceanâ thing is, in fact, a real theory thatâs been around for over 20 years.
The theory was presented by two British geologists who hypothesized that during a future eruption, the western flank of the Cumbre Vieja volcano on La Palma would slide into the Atlantic, potentially generating a "megatsunami" that could reach Africa, Europe and the Americas in a matter of hours, thus destroying everything from New York to Rio.
If you were in Spain in 2021, you probably remember the volcanic eruption there. So yeah, that volcano means trouble.
Anyway, La Palma (the show, not the island) is an entertaining four-hour ride thatâs good for binging this Christmas, mainly because we can guarantee it will make you angry at the stupidity of its characters. Trust us, if the Daily Mail agrees with us, we can guarantee itâs true.
First, our spoiler-free thoughts:
La Palma is a fun watch, with great acting and very good special effects. The suspense builds up steadily and the payoff is⊠OK.
The show not only requires suspension of disbelief, but it also requires you to basically shoot your disbelief into the exosphere and leave it there.
Thereâs one character who makes every single bad decision you can think of and nobody stops them.
We have more thoughts but these include the spoilers below so look away.
We found it hilarious that Norway pretty much saves the day while the Spanish government is pretending to be the mayor from Jaws (for you Gen Zers, thatâs a really old movie about a killer shark and a mayor who refused to close the beaches because, hey, capitalism).
Alma GĂŒntherâs character âSaraâ is probably the most idiotic teenager since Kim Bauer in Kiefer Sutherlandâs 24 (for you Gen Zers, thatâs a really old dad show about killing terrorists in real time).
Honestly, suspend disbelief. Saraâs plane gets caught by the megatsunami as it's taking off and⊠she survives. Other characters outpace the megatsunami using an inflatable motorboatâand also survive. That giant wave is the slowest thing to happen to humanity since The English Patient (for you Gen Zers, thatâs a really old and slow movie about the desert).
Anyway, if youâre in the mood to watch how a Spanish island is responsible for killing billions this Christmas, then this is the show for you. Happy Holidays!
3.âčïž The death of legendary actor Marisa Paredes
If you like Spanish cinema (and specifically Pedro Almodovarâs work), then you know who Marisa Paredes was. The iconic Spanish actor, who also worked with Guillermo del Toro, passed away at 78 on Tuesday due to heart failure, and the entire film industry is in mourning.
Paredes was a beloved figure in Spain and the film industry worldwide, with a career spanning over 75 films. While she started working in the 60s, it was in the 80s that she became well-known thanks to her incredible performance in AlmodĂłvarâs Dark Habits (1983).
That was the beginning of a long partnership. AlmodĂłvar loved her so much he cast her in High Heels (1991), The Flower of My Secret (1995), All About My Mother (1999) and The Skin I Live In (2011). This helped her become a leading figure in Spanish cinema, mainly because of her ability to bring complex characters to life.
But it was her roles in Roberto Benigniâs Oscar-winning Life is Beautiful (1997) and Guillermo del Toroâs The Devilâs Backbone (2001), a story set during the Spanish Civil War, that helped her garner international acclaim.
Besides her work in film, Paredes also served as the president of the Spanish Film Commission from 2000 to 2003. In 2018, the Academy of Cinematographic Arts and Sciences of Spain gave her the Honorary Goya (Goyas = the Spanish version of the Oscars) for âextraordinary distinction in lifetime achievementâ.
Paredes earned two Goya nominations, one for Best Supporting Actor for Cara de Acelga (1995) and The Flower of My Secret (1995) and the Academy posthumously described her work as defined by âstrong, ambivalent, broken, passionate, and enigmatic women who were, above all, deeply human.â
Paredes was the supporting actor who went from âTV in black and white to streamingâ, in the (correct) words of El Españolâher final role was in the 2023 series Vestidas de Azul (on atresplayer), which follows the life of a group of transgender women in post-Franco Spain.
Her funeral was a whoâs who of Spanish celebs and included PM SĂĄnchez (who was asked to name his favorite Paredes movie and responded âall of themâ). đ€
*Her last video interview was with Harperâs Bazaar Spain and it went viral on Tuesday. You can watch it here.
4.đ Rough breakup? Head to Madrid (Yes, Don Jr. dropped by)
We love Madrid so much that we sometimes sound like the tourist board. But occasionally we wonder if maybe we go too far and attract, like, the kind of people who might make it less cool. Like, when Amber Heard moved to Madrid after her messy divorce and trial with Johnny Depp made them both look pretty gnarly, we wondered if we should stop selling the city that thinks five hours is a full nightâs sleep.
And now thereâs Don JrâŠ
Don Jr. as in Donald Trump Jr.? Thatâs correct.
Leaving on a jet plane âïž. Don Jr was spotted at Miami International Airport last Thursday waiting for a flight to Madrid along with his new-ish girlfriend, Palm Beach socialite Bettina Anderson, just days after they went public with their relationship.
Until not so long ago heâd been engaged with Kimberly Guilfoyle (oddly, before dating the right-wing First Son, Guilfoyle was married to current lefty California Gov. Gavin Newsom; recently, sheâs been named Ambassador to Greece by this seasonâs winner of Americaâs Got President).
Former Vanity Fair and New Yorker editor Tina Brown described Don Jr.âs girlfriend swap as follows: âEven Don Jr. has revamped his image, switching out his former arm candyâscreeching, duvet-lipped Kimberly Guilfoyle, whom Trump obligingly shot out of a cannon towards the U.S. embassy in Athensâfor a svelte, blonde Palm Beach socialite.â
But we digress. We canât spend the whole newsletter being catty. So letâs just say the news of their Madrid flight spun up so many thoughts. Theories popped up about whether heâd be looking at houses in El Viso (where Amber Heard lives) or hanging out with fellow Madrid-living American exile Richard Gere. Were they coming to celebrate Hanukkah with Voxâs own Santiago Abascal? Maybe they just wanted to try this cityâs legendary cocido?
We were deceived. Ah, we were all wrong (but it was fun while it lasted). It appears that they only flew through Madrid, never to turn our most bizarre thoughts into reality. Instead, they went on to Venice, where Bettina posted a series of the worldâs most banal Instagram stories. But newsletter editors can dream, right?
5. đž Forbes opens exclusive members club in Madrid
Move over Club Matador & Soho House! Thereâs a new player in town and these guys arenât screwing around.
Madrid is having a moment and itâs not just us saying it. From The Economist calling it âboomingâ to the New York Times calling it a new Miami, suddenly it looks like everyone wants to live here (and yes, that includes Richard Gere and Amber Heard⊠and maybe one day Don Jr.?).
So it makes sense then that Forbes has chosen Madrid to launch its first-ever private club, Forbes House Madrid, which opened its doors yesterday. Incredibly, it beat Soho House Madrid, scheduled to arrive in 2025.
But what the heck is Forbes House Madrid, anyway?
See and be seen. According to its website, the 2000 m2 space is designed to âbecome the home of business leaders, politicians, creatives, and entrepreneurs, with a breathtaking penthouse offering panoramic views of half the cityâ.
The seven-story building is located a few blocks away from the Supreme Court and Plaza ColĂłn, on Calle de Amador de los RĂos 5, in ChamberĂ, and it was designed by architect Carlos Lamela (one of the top architects in Spain who, among other things, designed Terminal 4 of Barajas Airport).
The club also includes: a library, a Michelin-starred restaurant led by Adolfo Santos, a wine cellar, a rooftop bar, an auditorium, and event spaces to hang out with your friends (as long as you can afford it, of course).
Sounds good, doesnât it? We at The Tapa will be happy to accept membershipâfor journalistic purposes only, obviously. And maybe the Michelin-starred restaurants. But we digress. What if you want to become a member?
To join, you will need to prove youâre worthy of membership (a successful career will do the trick), and you will also need the endorsement of at least two members.
Madrid, what a city.
đ Before you go, please remember to share this newsletter with your friends on social media. The more we grow, the more information weâll be able to offer each week.
I've been to a couple of events at Soho House here in BCN, and the inside feels like class warfare. This Forbes place somehow sounds even worse!