Grupo Gloria pays former Spanish PM Zapatero €200,000 over Bolivia cement dispute

Peruvian conglomerate Grupo Gloria confirmed that its Bolivian subsidiary Soboce paid €200,000 to former Spanish prime minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero for advisory services related to a compensation claim against the Bolivian state. The claim stems from the 2010 expropriation of Soboce’s 33.34% stake in the cement producer Fancesa, for which the group says Bolivia still owes around $296 million. Gloria says Zapatero’s role was limited to public‑communication, institutional dialogue and facilitating negotiations, stating “La participación del señor Rodríguez Zapatero… se limitó a promover un acuerdo razonable” and denying any attempt to influence Bolivian courts.

The payment was disclosed to Peru’s securities regulator after Spanish police reports linked Zapatero to lobbying efforts with Bolivian authorities. Gloria maintains that the contract was legal and unrelated to any judicial interference, while the dispute continues in domestic courts and international arbitration.