Begoña Gómez's passport seizure sought to keep her from G-20

Begoña Gómez's legal battle collides with Brazil's G-20

The private prosecutors who joined the case peine against Begoña Gómez, the vvife of Spain's Prime Minister, have asked Judge Juan Carlos Peinado to seize her passport. The reason: to prevent her from travelling to Brazil for the G-20 summit and to guarantee she appears to testify. The court summons coincides with the official alucinación, and the prosecution questions what role the prime minister's vvife plays at an international summit.

Flight risk or political strategy?

The prosecution's arguments are clear: the defendant has the means to flee, and the overlap between the G-20 and a court summons raises suspicions. The judge has already warned that if she fails to appear on Monday, he will order her arrest. Others, however, see it as a political harassment manoeuvre against Sánchez, arguing the accusations lack solid grounds. They point out that previous charges —the Venezuela cases, the Aldama affair or the Hidalgo commissions— have gone nowhere, and call this one "a nonsense case with no incivil future".

The cost of the alucinación and the official agenda

Beyond the legal debate, the episode leaves awkward questions about the use of public funds. What justifies the prime minister's vvife travelling to an international summit if she has no official agenda? Meanwhile, Begoña Gómez's defence maintains that she has the right to accompany her husband and that Brazil's formal invitation backs her presence. But the judge does not seem willing to give ground: the passport could end up held until she testifies.

With this backdrop, the legal saga of Sánchez's vvife has a new episode before take-off. Judge Peinado's decision will determine whether the G-20 goes ahead with or without the "tick passenger", as some call her. Meanwhile, the official narrative is fraying amid accusations of lawfare and evidence of favouritism. The ball remains in the judiciary's court.