The investigations into José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero for alleged tax crimes and jewelry smuggling continue. In recent days, the former President of the Government has had the opportunity to explain the origin of these jewels before Justice. Specifically, the socialist has indicated these assets, which were located in his professional office and valued at 1.3 million euros, were "a gift" that the King of Saudi Arabia Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud gave him in 2007 in Moncloa, as indicated by journalist Juanma Poderoso on ABC. However, it is striking that these were not included in the delivery of more than 500 pieces of the former president's heritage when he left the Moncloa, as was the case with other jewelry and gifts, which included, precisely, more presents from the Saudi monarchy. In his justification to the judge of the National Court, who is investigating him for the rescue of Plus Ultra, about the origin of the jewelry and why they are not declared, he also said that he accepted them as a gift out of "deference", "respect" and "gratitude". Zapatero's defense also clarified that "that is why the pieces we are referring to were kept and remained stored throughout this time, along with those of family origin and other gifts from friends, without any use or destination, and without awareness of their material value." At this point, how the investigation regarding the jewelry progresses depends on it being demonstrated and amply justified that these pieces composed of rubies, sapphires, emeralds and diamonds, among other materials, come from the indicated origin. Poderoso adds that, according to jurists consulted by ABC, Zapatero would need an official certificate in which the Saudi royal court attested that this gift took place. But these justifications do not seem to convince many in the public sphere, which show that Zapatero's entourage, when the jewels were found in his office, did not want to clearly and immediately indicate their origin. One of the figures who supports this vision is the journalist and director of Antena 3 Noticias 2, Vicente Vallés, who has shared his opinion regarding Zapatero's defense for the crimes for which he is being investigated. «In the four months that have passed since the National Court investigated José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, it has been found that the former president has serious difficulties in dismantling the accusations against him. To such an extent he has problems dismantling these accusations, that his defense has made it clear that he is not seeking so much to obtain the acquittal of the former president, but rather to annul the case due to defects in form, or for the crimes to be considered statute-barred," he explained. For Vallés, the events he reports mean that Zapatero's representation may be acknowledging that he did commit some of the crimes being investigated and, although the crime of jewelry is not the one that seems the most serious to the presenter, he does believe that it is the most striking. «Zapatero's entourage first said that they were heirloom jewelry. And he denied that they came from Saudi Arabia. Now they do come from Saudi Arabia. Specifically, from King Abdullah, in 2007, when Zapatero was president. It so happens that Abdalá is dead, so he will not be able to deny Zapatero. We will see if the former president's legal defense succeeds. What is now evident is that political defense has serious problems to prosper,” says the Atresmedia journalist. With this message, Vallés implies that the former socialist president is trying to excuse himself from one of the crimes for which he is being investigated using explanations that are difficult to prove, in addition to conveying a message that does not leave him in a good position politically. It should be noted that Zapatero has addressed the Saudi court on two occasions to prove the facts he refers to. As ABC has reported, for the moment the former Spanish governor has not received any response from Saudi Arabia, so he has asked the judge of the National Court, José Luis Calama, to activate a "formal request for international judicial cooperation through letters rogatory in order to obtain" confirmation from the Saudi court on the origin of the jewelry, a request that, to date, has not occurred either.