Editor’s Note
**Editor’s Note:** Judge José Luis Calama has ordered an official appraisal of jewelry discovered in former Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero’s office safe. The assessment, to be conducted by Ansorena under oath, will be documented by the UDEF.
Judge Calama Orders Appraisal of Jewelry Found in Zapatero’s Office Safe
The analysis will be carried out by the Ansorena jewelry store, under oath or promise, and will be duly documented by the UDEF.
C. G.
03/06/2026 – 15:27
Updated: 03/06/2026 – 17:16
Jewelry in Zapatero’s office. UDEF
The judge of the National Court, José Luis Calama, has requested a preliminary appraisal of the jewelry found in the office of former Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero during the search conducted on May 19 as part of the so-called Plus Ultra case.
In a ruling, the magistrate orders a preliminary analysis “to determine its nature, authenticity, and economic value (replacement value), manufacturer (jeweler’s stamp/brand), and approximate date of manufacture.” This, he specifies, is without prejudice to a subsequent expert appraisal covering other analytical data of interest.
The analysis, he indicates, will be carried out by the Ansorena jewelry store, located on Calle Alcalá in Madrid, under oath or promise, and will be duly documented by the UDEF, with all necessary requirements for maintaining the chain of custody.
In the office used by the former president, there was a safe containing necklaces, bracelets, earrings, rings, watches, and hard drives, which will now be appraised. Gertrudis Alcázar, Zapatero’s secretary, who was present during the search, told the UDEF that the jewelry was from “an inheritance from Doña Sonsoles” [Espinosa] and “gifts from trips.”
Additionally, sources close to Zapatero later confirmed that these jewels came from an inheritance from both Zapatero’s mother, his wife Sonsoles Espinosa’s family, as well as from trips. They also pointed out that an expert had appraised their value between 30,000 and 50,000 euros, and that because their current home does not have a safe, they had placed them in the safe of the former president’s office. The couple’s current residence is rented, and they are pending a move, which is why the pieces were in the office on Calle Ferraz in Madrid.
In the photos that the UDEF incorporated into the case file, three earrings, three rings, three bracelets, and three necklaces of the same style could be seen, with a dark stone in the center and diamonds around them. There were also several watches, earrings, and necklaces with white beads that could be pearls, and some rings.