An investigation conducted by the prestigious anti-corruption squad in Spain, the UCO (Central Operational Unit of the Guardia Civil), has implicated the infrastructure behemoth Acciona in an extensive scheme of political corruption purportedly orchestrated from the highest levels of the Socialist Party (PSOE). The investigators claim that the corporation disbursed large sums in illegal kickbacks to clinch significant government contracts. Allegedly, these bribes were channeled via political figures closely associated with ex-minister José Luis Ábalos and the party’s past Organization Secretary, Santos Cerdán.
More than €600,000 in Unlawful 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.
Contracts Tailored to Favor Acciona
The agreements under discussion encompass major infrastructure initiatives carried out from 2018 to 2021, including roads, railway constructions, and public transport networks, mostly in areas managed by the PSOE. As reported by the UCO, these bids were manipulated with specific technical criteria that effectively barred competitors, securing Acciona’s victory.
The report characterizes the process as part of a “perfectly coordinated structure” in which political power was used to distort the bidding process in exchange for financial kickbacks.
Santos Cerdán’s Central Role
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.
According to investigators, Cerdán handled negotiations, assigned percentages, and acted as the link between the awarding authorities and the beneficiaries of the scheme.
Organizational Quietude and Internal Evaluations
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.
