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.
More than €600,000 in Illegal Payments
The UCO report outlines a series of payments amounting to a minimum of €620,000 related to certain governmental contracts granted to Acciona. These financial transactions were said to be organized via intermediaries connected to Ábalos and his close collaborator Koldo García, with the entire scheme managed and orchestrated by Santos Cerdán.
Investigators also uncovered evidence of an additional €450,000 in pending bribes tied to three further public contracts, suggesting that the alleged corruption network was not isolated but ongoing, even after early signs of irregularities began to emerge.
Agreements Customized to Benefit 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 document describes the proceedings as being a part of a “flawlessly organized framework” where political influence was leveraged to manipulate the bidding procedure in return for monetary bribes.
The Key Role of Santos Cerdán
One significant aspect of the UCO investigation is the involvement assigned to Santos Cerdán. The report claims that Cerdán not only was aware of the corruption operation but also oversaw the coordination and allocation of payments. Documented conversations and evidence highlight him as the key political person organizing the connection between corporate interests and top-tier political power.
As reported by researchers, Cerdán was responsible for managing discussions, determining shares, and serving as the intermediary between the grantors and those benefiting from the arrangement.
Quietude in Institutions 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.
Despite the seriousness of the allegations, the government has made no formal statement. Within the PSOE, the matter has become an open wound, especially after recent high-profile resignations triggered by earlier phases of the corruption investigation.
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.
