The wife of Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, Begoña Gómez, has been charged with extensive corruption and today must make the humiliating journey to Spain’s federal court in Madrid and surrender her passport after being subjected to a travel ban on 20 June. She has also been ordered to report to the police every other week until judgment has been delivered.
It may be some time before Begoña once again sets foot beyond Spain’s borders. Before the trial can begin, a number of procedural questions must be clarified, including any decisions by higher courts concerning parts of the case.
A humiliating social demotion
The trial is not expected to begin before the autumn at the earliest, but it is just as likely that it will have to wait until next year. The Spanish judicial system is known for being time-consuming, especially in cases involving high-profile individuals. The defence lawyers have already announced that they will appeal several of the judge’s decisions, which may delay the case even further.
For Begoña Gómez, who has previously travelled extensively internationally and been a prominent figure at the Prime Minister’s side, this constitutes a humiliating social demotion and, not least, a significant deprivation of liberty.
The investigation of Gómez was initiated by Manos Limpias (Clean Hands), a non-socialist trade union which has previously used the judicial system to protect Spanish democracy. The case represents one of the most serious political scandals in Spain in many years. She is accused of having exploited her position as the Prime Minister’s wife to enrich herself through fraud, corruption, embezzlement, misuse of public funds, etc.
No shortage of dubious material
Several witnesses and submitted documents also point to a conflation of Begoña’s “business activities” and government decisions.
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For Pedro Sánchez, the case is extremely embarrassing. He has previously stood one hundred per cent behind his wife and described the investigation as a “political witch-hunt orchestrated by the right wing” and by politicised “ultra-right” courts. Despite Sánchez’s attempts to discredit the judiciary, the judge leading the investigation, Juan Carlos Peinado, has uncovered so much dubious material that the case is proceeding to trial.
All are equal, but some are more equal than others
Spain’s right-wing opposition is demanding that Sánchez immediately take his hat and go. They maintain that it is untenable for the country to be governed by a Prime Minister whose loyalty to his wife, who stands accused of fraud, takes precedence over the interests of the country. They emphasise that, before the nation’s judiciary, the socialists’ idea that all are equal, but some are more equal than others, must give way. This also applies to the Prime Minister’s wife.
The case comes on top of several corruption-related allegations against the Socialist Party, Sánchez’s government and close associates.
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Pedro Sánchez came to power in 2018 on promises to put an end to corruption. He has built his power on a combination of control over the media, alliances with separatists and left-wing populists – and a rhetoric in which any criticism is portrayed as “far-right” and/or “conspiratorial” – all while scandalous corruption allegations have accumulated around him and the party that was supposed to put an end to corruption.
The case against Sánchez’s wife may prove fatal to his future political life.
Spanias masseamnesti nærmer seg én million – politiet spår fem millioner «lovlige» innen 2030