Spanish judge orders prime minister's wife to face corruption trial and surrender her passport

Investigative judge Juan Carlos Peinado has ordered Begoña Gómez, the wife of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, to face trial on charges including influence peddling and corruption. The ruling, issued Saturday, also requires Gómez to surrender her passport and attend court every two weeks, citing her as a flight risk. A trial date has not yet been scheduled.

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Begoña Gómez is innocent.

The judge's decision has ignited a fierce political battle, with opposition parties calling for the resignation of Sánchez's Socialist government. Gómez is accused of leveraging her position to influence government contracts awarded to technology firms. She also faces accusations of misusing public funds in hiring a consultant and improper software use during her time as a university professor. Gómez has consistently denied any wrongdoing.

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For two years now, she has been the target of a political and judicial witch hunt. Today's development is just the latest escalation.

Prime Minister Sánchez has characterized the case against his wife as a politically motivated smear campaign by conservative opponents aiming to destabilize his left-wing government, which has been in power since 2018. The investigation, initiated two years ago, stems from accusations by the pressure group Manos Limpias. The judge also indicated that a businessman allegedly benefiting from the contracts and a consultant who worked for Gómez will also stand trial.

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Lawmakers and the architects of our constitution could never have imagined that the threats to our democracy could originate from the Spanish government itself.

Government officials have strongly criticized the judge's decision, labeling it politically motivated and an "absolute scandal for democracy." The Socialist Party defended Gómez, stating she is innocent and has been subjected to a "political and judicial witch hunt." Conversely, Spain's conservative opposition has seized on the ruling, demanding an early election and accusing the government of attacking the judiciary and media while attempting to silence dissent.

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Now we see how the government attacks judges, prosecutors and the media while attempting to silence opposition parties. This is unthinkable in any modern democracy.