Zapatero demands judge shield personal data after leak of 1,084 pages of chats and diaries

Background

José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero is under investigation by National Court judge José Luis Calama for influence peddling, money laundering, criminal organisation and document falsification in connection with the 2021 rescue of airline Plus Ultra. In May 2026 the judge ordered a search of Zapatero's office and later opened a separate investigation after undeclared jewels valued at 1.3 million euros were allegedly found in a safe.

The motion against the leak

The latest UDEF police report included, in annexes, the former prime minister’s complete 2024 and 2025 calendars and 1,084 pages of WhatsApp conversations with his secretary, Gertrudis Alcázar. Several media outlets published details from those documents. Zapatero's lawyer, Víctor Moreno Catena, filed a motion on 26 June asking the judge to expel the report, arguing that it resulted from ‘a prospective and unauthorised investigation’ and that its annexes contain personal data entirely unrelated to the case.

“The life of Mr José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero cannot be subject to the scrutiny of the police unit, at its own discretion and convenience, without justification and without judicial authorisation.”

Call for reinforced privacy safeguards

The defence also urges the judge to impose watermarks on police reports and to establish stricter protocols for documents uploaded to the cloud-based justice platform. It describes the publication of the diaries and chats as a ‘grave attack’ on the right to privacy, noting that bank account numbers, passwords and private contact details were among the leaked material.

“The absolute lack of care and respect for the fundamental rights of the former president is devastating.”

Separate jewel investigation

In a parallel submission, Zapatero’s defence challenged the standing of the Popular Party to act as a popular accusation in the jewel-related branch of the case. The lawyer argued that the alleged offences (smuggling and tax fraud linked to personal income and customs declarations) affect only the tax authorities and do not justify the PP’s participation.

Media criticism

Several journalists condemned the leak as an unjustified invasion of privacy. Ángeles Caballero of El País asked whether any public figure could withstand the publication of their calendar and private messages, while Fernando Berlín described the release of personal data as ‘indefensible’ and questioned its relevance to the Plus Ultra investigation. Antonio García Ferreras added that he saw no news value in revealing hairdresser appointments or Christmas gift lists.