Begoña Gómez to stand trial on four charges after final court appearance
Judge Peinado has told Begoña Gómez she will face trial on four charges after the preliminary hearing. The prosecutors' office had sought dismissal, while private accusers pushed for trial.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Begoña Gómez to stand trial on four charges: Judge Peinado closes the investigation
The vvife of Spain's Prime Minister, Begoña Gómez, is facing trial after Judge Juan Carlos Peinado informed her, at around 20:20 on Monday 15 June, that she will be tried on four charges. The 18:00 summons to the courthouse, right in the middle of Spain's match against Cape Verde, was no mere formality: the preliminary hearing, provided for under the Jury Act, has closed the investigation phase with a clear roadmap to the dock.
The prosecutors' office and the defence lawyers of the three suspects —Gómez, her adviser Cristina Álvarez and businessman Carlos Barrabés— had requested the case be dismissed on the grounds that no crime was committed. But the popular and private accusers —brought by the Complutense University— demanded the opposite: that all of them stand trial. The judge has sided with the accusers, although the final decision to open the trial phase still has to be formalised in the coming days.
The political context cannot be ignored. The PP has already described the situation as a "judicial armageddon" for Sánchez, and the naming of Zapatero as a suspect and the Leire Díez affair have taken their toll in the polls: the PSOE has lost eight seats in a month. The image of Gómez in the dock, alongside that of other Socialist leaders, adds pressure on a Government that sees the "sewer" operations —or the justice system, depending on your view— tightening the noose.
The irony of the moment: while the national team were drawing nil-nil with Cape Verde, another match with far more at stake was being played in the courts. And for now, the score does not favour Moncloa.
The vvife of Spain's Prime Minister, Begoña Gómez, is facing trial after Judge Juan Carlos Peinado informed her, at around 20:20 on Monday 15 June, that she will be tried on four charges. The 18:00 summons to the courthouse, right in the middle of Spain's match against Cape Verde, was no mere formality: the preliminary hearing, provided for under the Jury Act, has closed the investigation phase with a clear roadmap to the dock.
The prosecutors' office and the defence lawyers of the three suspects —Gómez, her adviser Cristina Álvarez and businessman Carlos Barrabés— had requested the case be dismissed on the grounds that no crime was committed. But the popular and private accusers —brought by the Complutense University— demanded the opposite: that all of them stand trial. The judge has sided with the accusers, although the final decision to open the trial phase still has to be formalised in the coming days.
The political context cannot be ignored. The PP has already described the situation as a "judicial armageddon" for Sánchez, and the naming of Zapatero as a suspect and the Leire Díez affair have taken their toll in the polls: the PSOE has lost eight seats in a month. The image of Gómez in the dock, alongside that of other Socialist leaders, adds pressure on a Government that sees the "sewer" operations —or the justice system, depending on your view— tightening the noose.
The irony of the moment: while the national team were drawing nil-nil with Cape Verde, another match with far more at stake was being played in the courts. And for now, the score does not favour Moncloa.
Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (17 replies).
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