BARCELONA, Spain (AP) - A judge has mandated that Begoña Gómez, the wife of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, stand trial on charges of influence peddling and corruption. This decision is accompanied by orders for Gómez to surrender her passport due to concerns over her being a flight risk, and to report to the court biweekly. A trial date is yet to be established.
The ruling by Investigative Judge Juan Carlos Peinado has ignited a significant political conflict, leading to demands for Sánchez's Socialist government to resign. Gómez stands accused of leveraging her position to sway government contracts awarded to a collection of technology firms. Furthermore, she is implicated in the alleged misuse of public funds related to the hiring of a consultant, along with inappropriate software usage during her tenure as a professor at a public university.
Gómez has consistently denied any wrongdoing, while her husband, Sánchez, has alleged that the case against her is a politically motivated smear campaign orchestrated by conservative opponents seeking to destabilize his left-wing administration, which has been in power since 2018.
In his ruling, Judge Peinado indicated that a businessman who is said to have gained from the disputed government contracts, alongside the consultant who allegedly worked for Gómez, will also face trial.
As Sánchez faces mounting legal challenges ahead of a general election anticipated by next year, the political implications of Gómez's case are significant. Notably, earlier this week, former Socialist Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero appeared before a separate judge concerning his alleged involvement in a government airline bailout, as well as an inquiry into high-end jewelry discovered during a police search of his office. Zapatero has also denied any misconduct.
Government officials have sharply criticized the judge’s ruling, labeling it as politically charged, while the Socialist Party characterized the situation as "an absolute scandal for democracy." They asserted Gómez's innocence and claimed she has been subjected to a "political and judicial witch hunt" over the past two years, describing the recent developments as an escalation of these attacks.
Conversely, leaders within Spain's conservative opposition have capitalized on the situation, calling for early elections. Miguel Tellado, secretary-general of the principal opposition People’s Party, expressed concerns that the threats to democracy might originate from the government itself, stating that lawmakers and constitutional architects could never have envisioned such a scenario. He further accused the government of undermining judges, prosecutors, and the media while attempting to stifle opposition voices, describing this conduct as intolerable in a modern democracy.
The ongoing investigation into Gómez has spanned two years, initially prompted by allegations from the pressure group Manos Limpias, or Clean Hands, which has been involved in various legal cases, predominantly connected to conservative issues.
In summary, the legal troubles facing Begoña Gómez represent a pivotal moment in Spain's political landscape, revealing profound divisions between the ruling Socialist government and their conservative challengers.
