On November 19, the Spanish Supreme Court issued an order to temporarily release Santos Cerdan, a former senior official of the ruling Socialist Party, citing a reduced risk of interference in evidence during the corruption investigation.
Santos Cerdan has been detained since June and faces charges of involvement in organizing crimes, bribery and abuse of influence over a plan to repay fruit when allocating public construction contracts.
Mr. Cerdan denied all allegations. After leaving Soto del Real prison in the suburbs of Madrid, he told the press that he believed the truth would be clarified and justice would be enforced.
The incident involving Mr. Cerdan is considered the most serious in a series of scandals that shook the Spanish left-wing coalition government, forcing Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez to apologize in June and face the need to hold early elections.
In another Supreme Court case, anti-corruption prosecutors proposed a 24-year prison sentence for Jose Luis Abalos, who served as Transport Minister and Cerdan's predecessor in charge of the Social Party organization.
Abalos, an assistant and a businessman, were accused of defrauding contracts to purchase medical equipment such as masks during the COVID-19 pandemic. Abalos also denied the accusation.
In the documents of Judge Leopoldo Puente, the court said that the evidence against Mr. Cerdan was clearer during the investigation, but the possibility of him destroying the documents was significantly reduced. The court said that much of the information was gathered, which could have been hidden if he had continued his previous release.
Under the condition of free return, Mr. Cerdan must hand over his passport, submit to the Supreme Court every 15 days and must not leave Spain. The court concluded that there was no risk of a new offense because he no longer held a public position or leadership position in the party.
