Begoña Gómez, wife of President Sánchez, must surrender her passport and cannot leave Spain in corruption case
A Spanish court has decided that Begoña Gómez, wife of executive head Pedro Sánchez, must stand trial for corruption and has banned her from leaving the national territory, according to a judicial ruling released on Saturday.
Begoña Gómez, wife of President Sánchez, must surrender her passport and cannot leave Spain in corruption case
A Spanish court has determined that Begoña Gómez, spouse of government president Pedro Sánchez, must face a criminal trial for corruption. In addition, the person under investigation cannot leave the country. This ruling was made public on Saturday.
Judge Juan Carlos Peinado has required Gómez to deposit her passport and to appear before the authorities fortnightly until the trial takes place. The court has announced that it will inform all terrestrial, maritime and air borders, both civilian and military, of the exit ban to ensure compliance. At present, there is no scheduled date for the oral hearing of this case of major political significance.
Already in April, the same judge Peinado had brought charges against Begoña Gómez for misappropriation of funds, abuse of influence, corruption in business dealings and administrative misfeasance. The investigation began in April 2024 to clarify whether she had taken advantage of her position as the partner of the country's top official to obtain personal benefits, a claim that both vehemently deny.
The case centres on a university chair created and managed at the Complutense University of Madrid, where Gómez served as co-director, as well as the alleged use of public resources and personal contacts to promote private interests. The investigating judge noted in the charge order that the chair functioned as a channel for private professional promotion for the accused. The case was initiated following a complaint filed by an anti-corruption organisation linked to the far right.
When the opening of the investigation was made public in April 2024, Pedro Sánchez suspended his institutional duties for several days to reflect on whether he should continue at the head of the executive. Begoña Gómez has maintained her innocence throughout, while the government president has described the accusations against his wife as a manoeuvre by the conservative opposition to destabilise his administration.
Information from Sud Ouest
Source: Google News LU FR