Court bans Spanish president's wife from leaving country in corruption case
An investigating judge has prohibited Begoña Gómez, the wife of President Pedro Sánchez, from leaving Spain as she prepares to face trial on corruption charges.
Court bans Spanish president's wife from leaving country in corruption case
A Spanish investigating judge has prevented Begoña Gómez, the spouse of President of Government Pedro Sánchez, from leaving national territory as her judicial proceedings prepare to proceed on alleged corruption offences.
Judge Juan Carlos Peinado issued the measure on Saturday, requiring Gómez to surrender her passport and appear before the court twice a month until sentence is passed. She is charged with misappropriation of funds, abuse of influence, corruption in commercial transactions and improper appropriation.
The case stems from a complaint filed by an anti-corruption association linked to the far right. The investigation focuses on the creation and management of an academic chair at the Complutense University of Madrid that Gómez co-directed, as well as the alleged use of public resources and personal contacts to promote private interests.
Gómez has consistently denied the accusations. Sánchez has characterised the charges as an attempt by the right to weaken his Executive, and his Socialist Party has defended Gómez's innocence, noting that she is the target of a campaign of political persecution lasting years.
No trial date has yet been set, and the trial is expected to be politically explosive.
This case adds to several corruption investigations affecting Sánchez's allies that are approaching trial or already in proceedings phase, increasing pressure on the president. Several close collaborators, including the number three at the PSOE and Sánchez's former Transport Minister, are being investigated in matters relating to alleged illegal commissions linked to public works, oil and gas contracts, and the acquisition of face masks during the pandemic. All deny the charges.
Additionally, Spain's National Court confirmed that it is investigating former president José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero for allegedly leading a network that profited by exerting pressure on public authorities on behalf of third parties, including the airline Plus Ultra. He too rejects the accusations.
Sánchez, who does not appear as a defendant in any of these cases, has rejected opposition demands that he resign and call early elections.
Source: Al Jazeera
Source: Google News IE — Crime (en)