Madrid, July 1, (dpa/GNA) – Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, is under increasing pressure in a corruption scandal, involving his party.
On Monday, a Spanish judge ordered Santos Cerdán, the former number three in the ruling left-wing party and a member of parliament, to be remanded in custody.
The 56-year-old is suspected of membership of a criminal organization, bribery and influence peddling, the judicial press office said on its website after Cerdán was questioned.
The possibility of avoiding detention by posting bail was rejected. Cerdán denies the allegations. He sees himself as the victim of a conspiracy.
Various corruption scandals have been plaguing Sánchez’s minority government for some time. Amongst those under investigation are former transport minister, José Luis Ábalos, Sánchez’s wife Begoña, the head of government’s brother David Sánchez, and possibly soon also Justice Minister Félix Bolaños.
Sánchez had addressed the public contritely, after the allegations against Cerdán became known in early June.
“I apologize to the citizens,” he said, visibly shaken. The new revelations filled him with “great indignation and deep sadness.”
He announced an external audit of the finances of his Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE) and a restructuring of the party’s executive.
GNA