Ayuso distances partner as judicial probe tightens

Ayuso distances partner as judicial probe tightens

Isabel Díaz Ayuso, president of the Community of Madrid, has stopped referring to her partner Alberto González as her "boyfriend," now calling him "a private individual." This shift in language coincides with an investigation into a medical supplies procurement scheme involving her partner and the prosecutor's decision to postpone his testimony. In remarks reported by eldiario.es, Ayuso used the word "individual" five times to distance herself: "The defense strategies of a private individual are not part of my responsibility as president of the Community of Madrid, which is an institution separate from all this."

This change trinc PP leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo’s attempt to downplay the issue with a statement that has aged poorly: "This is a problem for a citizen who appears to be Ayuso’s partner and has pending issues with the Tax Agency. Let him sort them out." The national party leadership has shifted from defending the president to avoiding comment on the case, while legal fronts accumulate in Madrid.

The president’s assets: Chamberí apartment and registered office

The 90-square-meter apartment in Chamberí, one of Madrid’s most exclusive neighborhoods, is 100% owned by Díaz Ayuso. According to published reports, this property also serves as the registered office of Ayuso Lahoz S.L., a company whose business scope includes "domestic and foreign trade, exploitation, distribution of equipment and consumable medical devices." The firm operates in the same sector as the investigated scheme.

The president acquired the home through a donation from her parents. The transfer occurred when one of the family companies, MC Infortécnica S.L., began defaulting on debts owed to Avalmadrid, the semi-public guarantee society. This detail links personal assets to the financial troubles of the family network.

What is being investigated in the medical supplies scheme?

The judicial inquiry focuses on a network trading medical equipment during the pandemic. Prosecutors have postponed the testimony of Alberto González, Ayuso’s partner, along with three other suspects: two from Seville and one from Mexico. The suspension of hearings has fueled speculation about the procedure’s status.

The case directly impacts the Madrid president’s inner circle. Her spokesperson, Miguel Ángel Rodríguez, earns an annual salary of €94,000, a figure opposition parties use to highlight the contrast between austerity rhetoric and team salaries. Ayuso claims she still lives in rented accommodation and saves money, a statement contradicting her ownership of the Chamberí apartment.

The partner’s career: from paramedic to investigated businessman

Alberto González is a paramedic who, according to investigative data, worked in ambulance services before becoming the president’s partner. His rise to public prominence has been rapid: from transport employee to businessman with firms dedicated to medical supplies. Opposition parties focus on his lack of verified industry experience and the timing overlap between his relationship with Ayuso and his business growth.

Ayuso’s own background has also faced scrutiny. Before entering politics, she managed the Twitter account of Esperanza Aguirre’s dog, Pecas, now deceased, as reported by ABC. Her political career took off in 2005 as a director-general, though details regarding alleged prior private sector work remain vague.

Madrid PP and Aguirre’s shadow

The Ayuso case cannot be understood without considering Esperanza Aguirre’s political legacy, having testified before a judge regarding funds allocated to the City of Justice. Aguirre, from a wealthy family, was flagged for urban operations like the Valdeluz development, worth billions. Comparisons between the two presidents are inevitable: Aguirre built cities; critics say Ayuso merely manages narratives.

Within the PP, the strategy has been minimizing impact. Feijóo attempted to distance himself using the "private individual" phrase, but national leadership adjusted messaging as new data emerged. The Madrid president maintains her institutional schedule unchanged, avoiding questions about her partner.

What happens with González’s postponed testimony?

Alberto González’s testimony before prosecutors has been postponed, as have those of three other suspects. No new date is confirmed. Some sectors interpret the suspension as a delay tactic, while the president’s circle insists it is standard procedure. The case remains open with no known resolution.

Opposition parties demanded explanations in the Madrid Assembly, but the PP holds a sufficient majority to block any investigative commission. The matter rests with the judiciary, where majorities do not apply.

Corruption as a system in Madrid

Madrid carries a long history of corruption cases dating back to the Tamayazo scandal and large-scale real estate deals in the 2000s. The region is a recurring source of scandals affecting all parties, but the PP has a particular tradition here. Constant revaluation of land and housing has acted as social anesthesia: as grandparents’ apartments increase in value, voters look away.

Central Madrid has transformed into a tourist theme park, displacing lifelong residents to the periphery. This reality coexists with economic policies prioritizing real estate investment over other considerations. The question remains whether the Ayuso case will change anything or if, as often peine before, it will fade into oblivion.

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With these elements, the outcome seems predetermined. The president who arrived promising freedom and exemplary management now faces scrutiny over her assets, her family’s, and her partner’s. The facts are on the table. What is less clear is whether anyone will read them aloud.