After several months away from the media environment, the figure of
Luis Rubiales
was once again at the center of the scene. On Wednesday he returned to Madrid, after an extensive stay living in the Dominican Republic, following being notified of a new investigation against him for corruption. But that was not all. Before returning to
Spain ,
he gave his first interview
from the beaches of the Caribbean
to talk about the scandals that surround him. Both about illegal movements of money and the kiss to
Jennifer Hermoso
. And he did not remain silent at all, but rather took aim at all those who run against him.
While he was detained by the Civil Guard hours after his return to Spain to be informed of his new cases against him, all eyes fell on the Spanish cycle
El Objective
, a traditional television program that broadcast the interview conducted by the journalist. Ana Pastor to Rubiales.
There,
the former president defended all the charges of which he is accused
: from the cause of the kiss on the player Jennifer Hermoso to the possible crimes of money laundering, business corruption, disloyal administration and membership in a criminal organization.
According to the journalist herself,
the recording would take place at Rubiales' home in the Central American country, but at the last minute they had to move to a hotel
due to the surprise appearance of the police at her house to carry out a search.
Rubiales began by clarifying that his return to Spain should not seem strange to anyone, since he remains at the service of the law. "My lawyers sent a letter to the court to tell them that
I was available to them when they called me
to clarify any action."
And regarding his delay in returning, he confessed: "Holy Week is in the way...
my accounts are blocked
here , it has been difficult for me to change my plane ticket."
"I don't even have the possibility of paying for a Coca-Cola. I had everything blocked for one day in the Dominican Republic and five days ago in Spain, without having done anything," Rubiales exemplified.
đź’¬"I don't even have the possibility to buy a Coca-Cola."
Luis Rubiales with @_anapastor_ in #ObjetivoRubiales pic.twitter.com/D0vLdHtcEJ
— laSexta (@laSextaTV) April 3, 2024
Not only were his checking accounts confiscated, but he also admitted that his cell phones were disabled. Furthermore, the situation gave him the opportunity to explain the reasons why he migrated to the American continent. "
I didn't want to be in the spotlight
. I wanted to be in a place to start from scratch. In December I received a communication from the bank telling me that I had to leave that bank.
It's clear that they don't want me to be in Spain.
"I'm not going to give up on my country.
I love my country and my people
. But I also have to make an honest living."
Forcefully, he added: "I was trying to start doing business. Here (Dominican Republic) and in other places. I signed a contract with a Korean company for 1.8 million dollars in three years.
They called me and canceled the contract because they had received a lot of pressure from Spain
."
After being consulted about the corruption case against him, Rubiales completely denied everything and even tried to draw attention to other characters who "earn much more." "
I have suffered such a beating in the media that it was impossible for me to work in Spain
," was one of his repeated phrases.
Rubiales was delayed upon arrival in Spain. Photo: Reuter
"They don't want to let me earn a living either in football or outside of football. I have had a sanction. In the world of football they don't want to leave me outside either. There are people who earn much more than me in football and no one blushes For this reason,
I have declared everything in the agency. I have never taken a bite in my life
," he expressed.
However, the interviewer Pastor, faithful to the style for which she is recognized, was insistent to Rubiales with several cross-questions about the causes and investigations against her.
Given the persistence, the former manager pointed out: "
I believe that you are in the devastating current against people to whom nothing was proven. Regarding your questions, make comments
."
Luis Rubiales to @_anapastor_:
đź’¬ "You are in the current and in the devastating line against people with whom nothing has been approved"
đź’¬ "I did not take a bite, let it be clear. My friends and, especially, my enemies They are clear"#ObjetivoRubiales pic.twitter.com/6CcRtcPFkF
— laSexta (@laSextaTV) April 3, 2024
And he once again disassociated himself from the accusations. "I am here today to say that
it is a lie
that I have hit a home run here, that I have a baseball team here, that it is a lie that I have hit a ball in Cape Verde. That I have land for the construction of hotels in Saudi Arabia.
"All that is a lie
," he defended himself.
Although he made it clear that the only victims of the situation are his "family and friends." "I have never said that I am a victim of everything. We are in a society where the presumption is that of the guilty and not that of the victim," she said.
After an initial focus on the corruption investigation,
Rubiales also did not mince words when referring to Jenni Hermoso
and the cause of the non-consensual kiss to the soccer player during the Australia-New Zealand 2023 World Cup champion awards ceremony, on December 20. August.
Rubiales passes by Jenny Hermoso, after winning the Women's Soccer World Cup. Photo: REUTERS
Just as he showed himself innocent for his alleged crime of illegal money movements, Rubiales was not classified as a "sexual offender" either. "Whoever sees the images, really, I can't understand why someone thinks that this is a sexual assault. If there is a doctor who will give us truth serum, they ask me if I have ever been with a prostitute and I am going to answer no," he said.
In the middle of his statements, Rubiales showed his first sign of regret about the situation that gave rise to the scandal: "
I was wrong
because in a medal ceremony it should have been more institutional", although he immediately continued: "I have my "I have a clear conscience.
For me and for my daughters. They have witnessed it and they have been there. I also gave them spikes and I did not sexually assault them
."
Along these lines, he stated: "
A sexual aggressor does not ask
. In the context, there was nothing sexual. She tells me that it is okay. Even in a story she recognizes it. There are the previous and subsequent videos. Let everyone give their opinion.
In no case case there has been aggression
."
At the same time, he accused Hermoso of "changing his version."
Rubiales, about his kiss with Jenni Hermoso: "It occurs between two friends and after a question. She tells me: okay"#ObjetivoRubiales pic.twitter.com/Rl6g7nz8XZ
— laSexta (@laSextaTV) April 3, 2024
"He had the same opinion as me. He changed his mind later. Not me. I still maintain that there is nothing there. Nobody will be able to prove that there was pressure.
Saying is saying, but in the Spanish justice system it is necessary to act with evidence
" Rubiales added in this regard.
"After everything your defense has been through, is it attacking Jenni Hermoso?" Ana Pastor crossed him.
And to conclude the topic, he stated: "
Can't you question Jennifer Hermoso and I can?
What they want to do is curtail freedom of thought.
There have been other media outlets that I have asked to come do this interview and they didn't." they wanted
".
Finally, to encompass the entire situation that surrounds him, Rubiales closed: "I believe in the law. There are some things that could be improved but I believe in the law, I am a lawyer."
The stay of the former president of the RFEF in Spain is indefinite. In addition to making himself available to the Civil Guard and the Prosecutor's Office, another of the reasons that led him to return to his native country was the search for his bank accounts to be opened again.
Last week
the Prosecutor's Office requested a sentence of two and a half years in prison for the crimes of sexual assault and coercion
. In addition to the prison sentence, the prosecutor asks for Rubiales to be disqualified from working in the sports field during the sentence, two years of supervised release and the prohibition of communicating with the player and approaching her within 200 meters for four years. .