Montero’s past remarks have resurfaced following Zapatero’s indictment in the Plus Ultra investigation.
The indictment of former Spanish Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero in the so‑called Plus Ultra case has refocused attention on earlier public remarks by María Jesús Montero, who repeatedly lauded the Socialist leader during the recent Andalusian campaign and even mentioned that she aspired to emulate him politically in the future.
The former Finance Minister’s comments have returned to the spotlight after the court decision to investigate Zapatero over alleged crimes including influence peddling, criminal organization, and document falsification in connection with the investigation into the rescue of airline Plus Ultra.
At multiple campaign gatherings hosted by the Andalusian branch of the PSOE, Montero depicted the former prime minister as an essential figure in the party, and during a rally in Jaén, she called him her “good luck charm” and emphasized that he was “a good man” and a political model she hoped to follow.
Public displays of support were also repeated at events in Huelva and Cádiz. During those appearances, Montero highlighted Zapatero’s role as one of Pedro Sánchez’s main political allies and praised his commitment to defending the Socialist project. She even stated that, once her own political career ended, she hoped “in a few years” to become someone like the former prime minister.
Those remarks have taken on renewed political significance following Zapatero’s indictment by Spain’s National Court. The investigating judge is examining whether the former Socialist leader participated in an alleged influence network linked to the approval of public aid for Plus Ultra during the pandemic.
The judicial case centers on the €53 million government bailout authorized in 2021 to stop the airline from going under, and investigators are now assessing whether any undue political pressure or institutional interference may have been exerted to benefit the company during the approval process.
According to the court documents presented in the case, the judge suspects that Zapatero might have relied on his institutional network to help secure decisions that favored the rescue package, while the investigation is also looking into reported business ties and payments linked to individuals associated with the former prime minister.
Although opposition parties have seized on Montero’s earlier remarks to heighten political pressure on the PSOE, Socialist officials continue to uphold Zapatero’s presumption of innocence until the judicial process reaches its conclusion.
Main Source: Libertad Digital https://www.libertaddigital.com/espana/politica/2026-05-19/la-bochornosa-hemeroteca-de-montero-con-zapatero-imputado-en-el-caso-plus-ultra-en-unos-anos-quiero-ser-como-el-7406422/
