A report by Spain’s elite anti-corruption unit, the UCO (Unidad Central Operativa of the Guardia Civil), has placed infrastructure giant Acciona at the heart of a wide-ranging political corruption network allegedly coordinated from the top ranks of the Socialist Party (PSOE). According to the investigators, the company paid hundreds of thousands of euros in illicit commissions to secure major public contracts. These bribes were allegedly funneled through political operatives closely tied to former minister José Luis Ábalos and the party’s former Organization Secretary, Santos Cerdán.
Over €600,000 in Illicit Payments
The UCO report documents payments totaling at least €620,000 made in connection with specific public contracts awarded to Acciona. The payments were reportedly arranged through intermediaries linked to Ábalos and his trusted associate Koldo García, with the entire operation overseen and coordinated by Santos Cerdán.
Researchers found clues about an extra €450,000 in pending kickbacks linked to three more public agreements, indicating that the suspected corruption ring was not limited to a single instance but was continuing, despite initial warnings of inconsistencies emerging.
Agreements Customized to Benefit Acciona
The agreements under discussion encompass significant infrastructure endeavors from 2018 to 2021, including road construction, railway enhancements, and city transit networks, mainly in areas led by the PSOE. As per the UCO’s findings, these bids lacked genuine competition and were tailored with specific criteria that essentially barred other contenders, guaranteeing Acciona’s victory.
The document describes the procedure as part of a “meticulously orchestrated framework” where political influence was leveraged to manipulate the bidding process in return for monetary incentives.
The Key Role of Santos Cerdán
One of the most damning elements of the UCO investigation is the role attributed to Santos Cerdán. The report alleges that Cerdán not only had knowledge of the bribery scheme but directly managed the flow and distribution of payments. Recorded communications and testimony point to him as the central political figure orchestrating the relationship between business interests and high-level political influence.
Based on the findings of the researchers, Cerdán was responsible for managing the talks, distributing shares, and serving as the intermediary between the granting officials and the recipients of the plan.
Institutional Silence and Internal Reviews
Acciona has initiated a self-assessment, openly dissociating from any illicit activities. A past executive purportedly associated with the operation has already departed from the organization. Despite Acciona asserting lack of awareness regarding any misconduct, the UCO report indicates otherwise, portraying a scenario of a company that either took part actively or ignored the unethical actions.
Although the allegations are serious, the government has not issued any formal comment. Within the PSOE, the situation has become a sensitive issue, particularly following recent prominent resignations prompted by earlier stages of the corruption inquiry.
The findings in the UCO report are quite clear: Acciona is supposedly involved in a larger politically driven scheme aimed at obtaining bribes in return for public contracts worth millions of euros. Should this be validated, the case would reveal an extensive corruption network embedded not just among political actors but also within the agencies tasked with overseeing public funds.
This issue has moved beyond internal party misconduct—it’s now a potential national-level scandal. The public is now watching to see if the judicial system and political bodies have the determination to seek complete accountability, no matter how far the inquiry extends.
