This is the alleged connection between Minister Torres and the Canary Islands hydrocarbons scheme

The Canarian plot of the Hidrocarburos case being investigated at the National Court reveals new information. The unified popular prosecution has summoned the Minister of Territorial Policy, Ángel Víctor Torres, and the accused, Víctor de Aldama, to testify before the National Court about the commercialization in Spain of oil imported from Venezuela to the Dominican Republic, entering through ports in the Canary Islands archipelago.

This testimonial evidence seeks to clarify a possible connection between Torres, Aldama, and the multimillion-dollar business of Venezuelan crude oil.

In addition, the case includes an investigation into the company Canary Islands Fuel Company SL, located in the south of Tenerife. This company is under investigation for an alleged tax fraud of 10 million euros in taxes on petroleum products, as revealed by Elcierredigital.com.

In the context of the Canary Islands, the alleged fraud affects the Canarian IGIC tax. Imports are exempt from VAT, which further complicates the scheme, as this outlet previously reported.

This judicial process points to an alleged tax fraud in crude oil sales amounting to 182 million euros. According to the Civil Guard's UCO, Villafuel SL, Aldama, and his partner Claudio Rivas, who is also under investigation, are involved.

Canary Islands Fuel Company SL, investigated by the UCO, paid for a shipment of Vega Sicilia wines in January 2023 for 33,452 euros. These wines were delivered to a business address linked to Aldama in Madrid. There is suspicion over this purchase of "an alleged diversion of funds from crude oil commercialization."

They request an investigation into Torres's link with Aldama regarding the oil scheme

The unified popular prosecution has requested the appearance of Minister Ángel Víctor Torres, President Pedro Sánchez's trusted man, in relation to his time as president of the Canary Islands. The aim is for Torres to clarify whether he participated in or at least met with the accused Aldama and Rivas to discuss the export of Venezuelan oil through Canarian ports.

The request for testimonial evidence highlights the statement of Carmen Pano, Aldama's former mother-in-law, before the UCO. She stated that Aldama and Rivas met with Torres in Tenerife when he was the regional president.

Pano explained that Aldama recounted how, during Torres's term, Rivas, Stella Duarte, and himself flew by private jet to Tenerife. Everything was paid for by Aldama.

There, they met with Torres with the goal of acquiring a tax warehouse, operating it, and unloading crude oil transported from Venezuela to the Dominican Republic and then to Spain.

She also mentioned that they intended to bring in ships from Georgia with crude oil of Russian origin.

Although Pano stated in court that she did not know the specific content of those meetings with Torres, she did confirm that they were related to hydrocarbons.

They summon the chief of staff of Reyes Maroto's Industry Ministry

The National Court has also summoned Juan Ignacio Díaz Bidart, chief of staff to then-Minister of Industry Reyes Maroto, to testify.

According to Carmen Pano, in January 2021 Aldama told her that he had arranged a meeting that same month at the Ministry of Industry to discuss the issue of the petroleum products operator.

Pano attended that meeting with Aldama, sector technicians from Córdoba, and Díaz Bidart. At the ministry, they were received by Koldo García. At the meeting, Rivas explained to Bidart his interest in obtaining an operator license for Villafuel SL, a company he owns.

Bidart told them to submit the documentation via the electronic registry. He also requested that a copy be sent through Koldo, who was in contact with Aldama.

Pano confirmed to the Civil Guard that the purpose of the meeting was to "speed up" the procedures for the license to operate with crude oil.

Koldo, Tapia, and Rivas to testify

The popular prosecutions have also requested the statement of Leire Díez for claiming to investigate the Hidrocarburos case and delivering a flash drive with documentation related to judicial proceedings at PSOE headquarters.

It is also requested that Koldo García Izagirre, former advisor to former Minister José Luis Ábalos, testify to clarify his presence at the Industry meeting regarding the Villafuel license.

Francisco Javier Patiño, sole administrator of Gaslow Abastecimiento SL, must also testify for his knowledge of details about the investigated company Have Got Time.

Those summoned as accused are Claudio Rivas, businessman Juan Ignacio Díaz Tapia, representative of Global Stratos Management SL, as well as César Moreno, Javier Serrano Costumero, and Víctor de Aldama.

The operations of the Canarian Hidrocarburos scheme

Canary Islands Fuel Company SL, managed by Oriana Elisett Aciego, carried out operations with Villafuel for 46.5 million euros. It also participated in transfers of 1.5 million euros to Portuguese companies, including Atmósferaudaz, managed by Aldama.

As a supplier, Canary Islands declared operations with third parties that include sales to 21 companies. Of these, 16 also declared operations with Obaoil 3000 SL, Salamanca Oil SL, Casmar Hidrocarburos SL, Carburantes Jalón Plaza SL, Skyward Tech SL, and Espaventos SL.

Villafuel, as a petroleum products operator, signed a logistics contract with Exolum Corporation SA, which acts as a tax warehouse. Subsequently, it bought hydrocarbons from other operators and simulated fictitious transfers under a suspension regime to the seven aforementioned companies, including Canary Islands.

The scheme is led by Aldama, Rivas, and Villafuel SL. The latter obtained its license in September 2022, granted by the Ministry for Ecological Transition during Teresa Ribera's administration.

The operations between Villafuel and Canary Islands in 2022 and 2023, which caused an alleged fraud of 10 million euros, took place while Torres was still president of the Canarian government.

The key operations between Canary Islands and Villafuel

Canary Islands was registered in May 2022 in Guía de Isora for the purpose of commercializing hydrocarbons. Its creation preceded Villafuel's obtaining of its operator license in September of the same year.

According to the investigation, Canary Islands, with Oriana Aciego as administrator, defrauded 5,567,825 euros in November 2022 and 4,096,558 euros in March 2023.

Initially, it did not record any activity, but after Villafuel's license, it bought hydrocarbons from that operator for 46.5 million euros.

The investigation considers Oriana a "key player." She was the first supplier to commit tax fraud.  Then Carburantes Jalón Plaza SL did so, and simultaneously, Salamanca Fuel in February 2023, when the debt to the Treasury was caused.

Oriana is also involved in money transfers from Canary Islands accounts to Portuguese companies for 1.5 million euros. These payments were recorded as "advisory service provision."

Among the transfers are 555,000 euros to Atmósferaudaz, 851,230 euros to Diálogo Erudito, 38,871 euros to Letras e Contrastes, and 46,801 euros to Palacios & Abadías.

Canary Islands's links with the Dominican Republic

The investigation highlights the links of Oriana Elisett Aciego with Aldama, his Portuguese company Atmosferaudaz, and Villafuel. The latter acted as an operator and used Canary Islands as a supplier in the fraudulent scheme.

Her role in facilitating contacts with marketers who sold to gas stations is also noted.

Another key contact for Canary Islands would be César Moreno García. He is attributed the role of facilitating the purchase of hydrocarbons in the Dominican Republic.

Moreno appears as administrator of Fertinvest Consulting SL together with Aldama and Javier Serrano. They also manage Global Stratos Investments SL, which appears as an intermediary to connect Canary Islands with Intermoil SL.

There is a contract between Canary Islands and Global Stratos, which confirms the commercial link between the Canarian company and Aldama.