García Ortiz trial in Spain shadowed by media war

The García Ortiz trial: bots, witnesses and Sánchez's shadow

The trial of Spain's Attorney General, Álvaro García Ortiz, has unleashed a storm that goes beyond the courtroom. On social media, massive coordination has been detected among accounts repeating an identical script: the trial is a farce because the journalist witnesses refuse to reveal their sources. Far from sticking to the facts, the discussion has become a political battleground where each side denounces manipulation.

The disinformation machine

For more than two decades, political parties have relied on paid online commentators, as an El Mundo report revealed. Now, with artificial intelligence, the phenomenon is multiplying. In the debate over the trial, there is talk of "thousands upon thousands" of synchronized accounts, many of them recently created, defending the prosecutor's innocence or, on the contrary, demanding his conviction. The perception of an astroturfing operation hangs over the entire process.

The professional secrecy dilemma

One of the most controversial points is the validity of journalist witnesses who invoke professional secrecy to avoid revealing their sources. While some argue that this is their right and their testimony should be admitted, others contend that without being able to verify the origin of the information, the evidence is worthless. The clash between professional secrecy and the right to a defense remains unresolved.

A trial with a name attached: Sánchez

For many observers, the real defendant is not García Ortiz but Pedro Sánchez. The argument is that the trial is part of a strategy to wear down the Spanish Prime Minister, using the Attorney General as a battering ram. The connection with other cases involving Begoña Gómez or Sánchez's brother fuels suspicion of an all-out campaign against the government.

Bottom line. Positions have hardened to the point that "civil violence" is being mentioned as a possible scenario. While the trial runs its course, the media war does not stop. The debate over judicial independence and the use of social media as a political weapon is far from being settled.