Spanish Court Orders Probe of Venezuelan Investment in Plus Ultra Airline

Judge José Luis Calama of Spain's Audiencia Nacional has instructed the Unidad de Delincuencia Económica y Fiscal (UDEF) to prepare a detailed report on the evolution of the shareholding of the airline Plus Ultra. The request, made by anti‑corruption prosecutor Elena Lorente, focuses on capital from Venezuelan investors that entered the company from 2017 onward. The investigation is linked to a public‑fund rescue of €53 million granted to Plus Ultra during the pandemic, and aims to determine whether the Venezuelan ownership influenced the airline’s application for that aid. UDEF will reconstruct the airline’s shareholder history from its founding in 2011, examine the public‑aid process, and assess any possible irregularities in the financing and corporate governance of Plus Ultra.