The investigation into Begoña Gómez increases the pressure on Pedro Sánchez, already weakened by several cases of corruption involving family members and former political allies.
A Spanish judge ordered this Saturday that Begoña Gómezwife of the socialist prime minister Pedro Sanchezbe tried by jury in a corruption case, and banned her from leaving the country.
The case is one of several corruption processes that involve family members and former allies of the socialist leader and that threaten to overthrow his minority coalition government.
About juiz Juan Carlos Peinado ordered Gómez to hand over his passport, banned her from leaving Spain and ordered him to appear in court twice a month until the sentence is known, citing the risk of flight.
In the 84-page decision, the judge stated that “instructions will be given to all civil and military border posts and airports” to ensure that Gomez complies the ban on leaving the country.
A trial date has not yet been set.
In April, Peinado formally accused Gómez of embezzlement of public fundsinfluence peddling, business corruption and misappropriation.
The judge opened the investigation in April 2024 to determine whether Gómez had used her position as Sánchez’s wife to get private benefitss, which she and the Prime Minister deny.
The case focuses on creation and management of a chair at the Complutense University of Madrid, co-directed by Gómez, as well as the alleged use of public resources and personal contacts to promote private interests.
“The professorship served as a means of private professional development for the person being investigated,” the judge wrote when he formally charged Gómez.
“Terrible day”
The case originated from a complaint filed by an anti-corruption group with links to the far right.
“Today is a terrible day for those of us who believe in Justice“, wrote the Minister of Justice, Felix Bolañosin X, in reaction to the judge’s decision, adding that “the truth will ultimately prevail”.
Leaders of the Socialist Party Spanish criticized the decision to ban Gómez from leaving the country, classifying it as exaggerated. In the 84-page ruling, Peinado rejected the argument that police officers who regularly provided Gómez with protection would prevent you from escaping.
These agents “could, on their own initiative or following orders superiors”, help “facilitate an escapewhich would make it impossible for the accused to be available to justice”, he wrote.
When the investigation into Begoña Gómez was opened in 2024, Pedro Sánchez temporarily suspended his public functions for several days to .
Sánchez, one of those in Europe, rejected the accusations against the woman, considering them an attempt by the right to undermine his government.
Other cases of corruption
Former Spanish Socialist Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero it was last month due to suspicions of influence peddling related to the rescue, in 2021, of the small airline Plus Ultra.
Zapatero denied the accusationswhile Sánchez expressed “full support” for his mentor.
Rulings are also expected in separate corruption trials involving the Sánchez’s former right-hand man, José Luis Ábalosand the Prime Minister’s brother, David Sánchez.
Ábalos, a former socialist heavyweight and former transport minister who helped Sánchez come to power in 2018, is accused of having received gloves for the award of public contracts worth millions of euros for sanitary material during the covid-19 pandemic.
David Sánchez, composer and conductor, is accused of having received preferential treatment when obtaining a job in the public sector.
The cases have caused embarrassment to Sánchezwho came to power promising to clean up Spanish politics after overthrowing a conservative Popular Party (PP) government in a motion of censure motivated by his own corruption scandal.
Sanchez, a skilled politician known for coming out on top in difficult situations, he has repeatedly rejected the opposition’s calls to resign and call early elections due to the accumulation of corruption scandals.
O Prime Minister was not made a defendant in neither case.
