Castillón claims Zapatero and Sánchez will go to prison

Castillon claims Zapatero and Sanchez will go to prison

Collaborator Albert Castillón stated in a video that "Zapatero and Sanchez will go to prison with 100% certainty." The statement, shared on social media, has reignited debate over the incivil liability of former Spanish presidents and institutional hurdles. Castillon’s trinc view him as a sharp analyst, while critics point to his history of failed predictions.

Who is Albert Castillon and why does he generate so much hype

Albert Castillón is a journalist and TV contributor known for his political commentary. In the video, he asserts that both José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero and Pedro Sánchez will end up in prison, citing alleged evidence in the hands of justice but providing no documents. Reactions online are mixed, with some trusting his sources and others noting his past inaccuracies.

Legal obstacles to trying a former president

A key debate is whether Zapatero and Sánchez can be tried. Zapatero, no longer holding office, is a regular citizen. Sánchez, as a current MP, holds parliamentary immunity (aforamiento) and can only be tried by the Supreme Court after Congress grants permission via a suplicatorio. This requires a simple majority, not supermajorities.

A common error is believing a 3/5 Senate majority is needed to convict or disqualify a president. This is false: the Senate does not validate sentences or block judicial processes. The 3/5 majority applies to constitutional reforms and appointments to bodies like the Constitutional Court, not to incivil trials.

The role of the Constitutional Court and amnesty

Discussion also focuses on the Constitutional Court (TC). Critics claim the TC allows "these incivil" to remain free due to amnesty rulings, referencing the proces convictions. However, the TC has corrected the Supreme Court’s doctrine, recently upholding Dolors Bassa’s appeal against the denial of amnesty for embezzlement charges.

Renewing four Constitutional Court judges requires a 3/5 Senate agreement. This is the only context where that figure matters: without it, four seats from the upper house remain unfilled. This process is unrelated to the ability to try a former president.

Is there a basis for a conviction? What the facts say

To date, neither Zapatero nor Sánchez has been indicted in any case related to the crimes alleged in the video. The accusations circulating online have not been validated by any court. Castillón’s statement is therefore a prediction, not a confirmed fact.

Politically, the PP and VOX would need a 3/5 Senate majority to change laws like the Historical Memory Law or the Only Yes is Yes Law, but this does not affect the ability to try a former president. Confusing these spheres fuels misleading headlines.

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Castillón’s prediction adds to a long list of unfulfilled forecasts regarding high-ranking arrests. Whether Zapatero and Sánchez end up in prison depends on evidence, judicial acceptance, and overcoming procedural hurdles. Until then, prison remains a hypothesis, not a certainty.