Former President José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero faces charges of influence peddling, a crime that, according to the penal code, carries penalties of 2 to 6 years if committed by an authority, or 6 months to 2 years for private individuals. The news has sparked intense political and legal debate in Spain.
Blockchain to audit influences in public administration 🔗
Blockchain technology offers an immutable record of transactions and contacts between authorities and third parties. Implementing a digital traceability system in ministries would allow real-time auditing of any suspicious activity. Each meeting request or recommendation would be cryptographically sealed, impossible to alter. This would reduce the opacity that enables influence peddling, providing clear forensic evidence for the justice system.
The instruction manual that didn't come with the position 📜
It seems Zapatero missed reading the fine print of the presidency. Because if you're going to engage in influencing, you should at least know there's a very thin line between doing a favor and landing yourself in legal trouble. Perhaps in future legislatures they'll include a basic ethics tutorial at the swearing-in ceremony. Meanwhile, we await the verdict.