The irregular relationships and dealings of the Pedro Sánchez government seem to extend beyond just chavismo and the infamous Delcygate, as they also involve members of the Venezuelan opposition, particularly the interim government and its leader: Juan Guaidó. Leaked recordings from the Central Operational Unit of the Civil Guard (UCO) reveal alleged plans to favor contracts with a Venezuelan oil company linked to the former interim president.
This situation reportedly took place in 2019, specifically on April 9, when Sánchez’s government sought to approach the Venezuelan opposition. Koldo García, political advisor to the deputy and former Minister of Transport, Mobility, and Urban Agenda José Luis Ábalos, is implicated in promoting the corruption scheme of businessman Víctor de Aldama involving irregular business dealings during the COVID-19 pandemic, detailing the expected profits.
The recording features Koldo García discussing with José Luis Ábalos, allegedly proposing to charge a hefty commission from an oil company purportedly linked to Guaidó. The payment was set to be half a million euros monthly over a three-year period.
The Recording
The recordings collected by the UCO reveal the following exchange:
Ábalos: “So what do you want to say? Because after we mediated, I’m gonna get something.”
Koldo García: “Yes, exactly.”
Ábalos: “Is that what you’re saying?”
Ábalos: “And that’s it.”
Koldo García: “You’ll get half a month for three years.”
Ábalos: “Are we talking about 500,000 euros a month?”
Koldo: “Yes, sir. Oil companies work like this.”
This profit would materialize if Ábalos managed to get Pedro Sánchez to mediate with Juan Guaidó, recognized at that time by the Spanish administration as Venezuela’s interim president. “We need to make sure we can call (…) Let’s see if you can make Guaidó speak with our president, Pedro [Sánchez].”
Koldo García assured José Luis Ábalos that the money would be paid monthly if Víctor de Aldama—an intermediary in the operation—signed the contract with the oil company for crude supply through the company based in the United States controlled by the interim government.
At that moment, Juan Guaidó was keen on securing support from Sánchez for the 200,000 Spaniards living in Venezuela and in need.
Investigations by the UCO have sparked a series of scandals, revealing corruption networks that led to Santos Cerdán—secretary of organization for the PSOE and collaborator of Pedro Sánchez—resigning from his position as well as from parliament. However, the Spanish leader dodged accountability, labeled the events as “serious, very serious,” but only lamented: “we shouldn’t have trusted him.”
Connections of the Aldama Scheme with Chavismo
The Aldama scheme, as this corruption case is known in Spain, has deep historical ties to Venezuela. The “Delcygate” refers to the visit by Nicolás Maduro’s regime’s vice president, Delcy Rodríguez, to Madrid on January 20, 2020.
“The Maduro tyranny connects with Víctor de Aldama through Delcy Rodríguez, the regime’s executive vice president. The UCO report confirms a close relationship between Aldama and Rodríguez from late 2019 through 2020, 2021, and early 2022, which eventually faded by the first third of 2022.”
During this time, Rodríguez, barred from entering the Schengen area by the European Union, was received by then Spanish Minister of Transport José Luis Ábalos at Barajas airport, with Pedro Sánchez’s knowledge.
The controversial meeting between Rodríguez and Ábalos not only allegedly violated this legal prohibition but also involved irregular negotiations and the contents of the Venezuelan delegation’s luggage.
Despite Sánchez denying awareness of this incident multiple times, UCO investigations contradict him, revealing that allegedly Delcy Rodríguez finalized the delivery of 104 gold bars worth USD 68.5 million, presumably negotiated by Víctor de Aldama.
“The sale of USD 68,498,254.11 was completed with a discount of 40 percent off the actual gold price, which was over USD 97 million, and is part of the strategy that Maduro’s regime undertakes for financing itself, causing billion-dollar losses to Venezuela’s public treasury.”
The Venezuelan vice president was accompanied by Tourism Minister Félix Plasencia and businessman Jorge Giménez, president of the Venezuelan Football Federation.
To this latter, related to Rodríguez, Aldama allegedly requested a cash commission, according to a conversation recorded by the UCO on May 12, 2020. The Spanish businessman asked Giménez for the money to “keep the machine running.”
The Venezuelan businessman was negotiating the supply of masks with members of the Aldama scheme, a contract that would generate over 6 million euros in commissions. “I know they will pay me, but you know how the government works to pay you. I have no doubt they will pay, but the machine needs oil, you know better than anyone,” Aldama required.
Sources consulted:
1) García Vázquez, Cristina and Valdés Mañas, Blanca. (June 13, 2025). “‘Let Guaidó talk to Sánchez’: Koldo and Ábalos sought a windfall with a Venezuelan oil company for ‘500,000 a month’.” In Vozpópuli. Available at: https://www.vozpopuli.com/tribunales/koldo-y-abalos-buscaron-un-pelotazo-con-una-petrolera-venezolana-por-500000-al-mes-que-guaido-hable-con-sanchez.html
2) El Nacional. (June 13, 2025). “Corruption corners Pedro Sánchez.” Available at: https://www.elnacional.com/opinion/la-corrupcion-acorrala-a-pedro-sanchez/
3) Rodríguez, Antonio. (January 23, 2020). “Ábalos meets at dawn inside a plane with the Vice President of Venezuela.” In Vozpópuli. Available at: https://www.vozpopuli.com/politica/venezuela-abalos-delcy-maduro-Gobierno-espana_0_1321368879.html
4) Público. (January 24, 2020). “Ábalos admits to a ‘forced greeting’ with the Vice President of Venezuela.” Available at: https://www.publico.es/politica/abalos-admite-ahora-saludo-forzado-vicepresidenta-venezuela.html
5) El Nacional. (October 11, 2024). “Koldo Case: Víctor de Aldama asked for cash from a businessman close to Delcy Rodríguez.” Available at: https://www.elnacional.com/venezuela/caso-koldo-victor-de-aldama-pidio-dinero-en-efectivo-a-un-empresario-cercano-a-delcy-rodriguez/