The corruption scandals surrounding Pedro Sánchez’s government continue. Following sustained pressure and serious accusations, José Antonio Marco Sanjuán, a high-ranking official in the Spanish Ministry of Finance, has resigned from his position as President of the Central Economic-Administrative Court (TEAC). He is accused of receiving €100,000 in bribes in exchange for the cancellation of claims against a company affiliated with a ministry-dependent entity.
The Accusations Against José Antonio Marco Sanjuán
The allegations against Marco Sanjuán, revealed by the Spanish newspaper El Debate, led to an immediate request for explanations on Monday by the Secretary of State for Finance, Jesús Gascón. As Marco Sanjuán was unable to provide satisfactory answers, the distrust of his superiors grew, ultimately leading to his resignation. On Tuesday, the Council of Ministers confirmed the dismissal of the TEAC president and appointed tax inspector Ignacio Ruiz Toledo as his successor.
The serious accusations come directly from a businessman who identified Marco Sanjuán as the recipient of several envelopes containing undeclared money. These payments, which amounted to almost €100,000 during several meetings held in a hotel opposite Marco Sanjuán’s office, were apparently intended to grant the businessman tax advantages.
Finance Minister María Jesús Montero Under Scrutiny
The incidents also highlight the role of Finance Minister María Jesús Montero. In last week’s government control session in Congress, she avoided a direct question from the PP about whether she would “put her hand in the fire” for Marco Sanjuán. This is reminiscent of similar situations where she vouched for her cabinet director Carlos Moreno and former socialist organization secretary Santos Cerdán. Moreno was accused of receiving a €25,000 commission from Víctor de Aldama, while Cerdán was linked to the Koldo plot – allegations later confirmed by the Civil Guard’s Central Operative Unit (UCO). For more information on current corruption cases in Spain, visit Nachrichten.es.
A Pattern of Bribery?
The explosive information also suggests that Marco Sanjuán allegedly told the businessman that the collected commissions would be shared with other positions in the ministry, without specifying names. It is also reported that these alleged payments to Marco Sanjuán did not begin during his tenure as TEAC president. He allegedly practiced this type of behavior earlier, in his previous role as president of the regional economic-administrative court of Castilla y León. This new case underlines the ongoing challenges in the fight against corruption in Spanish politics and administration.
