Former Spanish Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero remains under judicial investigation in Spain's Audiencia Nacional for alleged influence peddling, criminal organization, and related offenses tied to the Plus Ultra airline bailout and separate dealings involving Grupo Gloria in Bolivia. As of mid-September 2026, the case stays in the instruction phase with no trial scheduled, no convictions secured, and no precautionary detention imposed after his June appearance. Defense challenges to evidence scope, bank records, and procedural steps continue through appeals. Spanish criminal procedure for high-profile influence cases typically requires exhaustive evidentiary review, multiple rounds of appeals, and proof thresholds that rarely produce rapid prison sentences against former officeholders. Traders assign only a slim chance of sentencing because the process faces structural delays and political insulation even amid active probes. Late developments such as new corroborating testimony, asset seizures leading to tax charges, or accelerated trial scheduling could still alter the trajectory before any final resolution.