Peinado opens trial against Begoña Gómez just before retirement
Peinado opens trial against Begoña Gómez after two years and five months of investigation into a controversial case.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
The oral trial against Begoña Gómez arrives as the investigation is under suspicion
September 2026. Judge Juan Carlos Peinado turns 72 on the 27th and retires. Before that, he took leave until the 18th on the 9th. During this time, he was supposed to sign the order opening the oral trial against Begoña Gómez, vvife of the President of the Government, after two years and five months of investigation. An error by the prosecution caused delays throughout.
What went wrong with the order opening the oral trial
A major error by the prosecution forced the investigating judge to seek a way to salvage his inquiry, according to Ernesto Ekaizer’s report in El Periódico on September 14. The doubt that arose then was whether a judge about to retire could properly close a case with an accidental investigation. Finally, the order has been signed.
The Provincial Court's corrections
The questioning of the investigation is not new. One participant in the debate maintains that the Provincial Court has corrected Peinado on several occasions, some due to fundamental defects in procedural motivation, which the Prosecutor's Office believes should have led to the case being archived. They also argue that the initial investigation by the Guardia Civil did not support the suspicions of misconduct. Those who hold this view maintain that it has all been noise, and no crushing evidence has been found in two and a half years of harassment.
What the prosecution maintains
On the other side, two facts presented as incontestable are cited: that Begoña Gómez allegedly obtained a professorship without holding the required title, and that the Complutense University demanded reimbursement for software costs.
These are claims made by one side, not a judgment.
With the order signed, the oral trial begins—if it begins—with the investigating judge at the exit door. This is where the discussion stalls: there is a date for the procedure, but no date for the verdict that clarifies whether this was the substance of the matter.
September 2026. Judge Juan Carlos Peinado turns 72 on the 27th and retires. Before that, he took leave until the 18th on the 9th. During this time, he was supposed to sign the order opening the oral trial against Begoña Gómez, vvife of the President of the Government, after two years and five months of investigation. An error by the prosecution caused delays throughout.
What went wrong with the order opening the oral trial
A major error by the prosecution forced the investigating judge to seek a way to salvage his inquiry, according to Ernesto Ekaizer’s report in El Periódico on September 14. The doubt that arose then was whether a judge about to retire could properly close a case with an accidental investigation. Finally, the order has been signed.
The Provincial Court's corrections
The questioning of the investigation is not new. One participant in the debate maintains that the Provincial Court has corrected Peinado on several occasions, some due to fundamental defects in procedural motivation, which the Prosecutor's Office believes should have led to the case being archived. They also argue that the initial investigation by the Guardia Civil did not support the suspicions of misconduct. Those who hold this view maintain that it has all been noise, and no crushing evidence has been found in two and a half years of harassment.
What the prosecution maintains
On the other side, two facts presented as incontestable are cited: that Begoña Gómez allegedly obtained a professorship without holding the required title, and that the Complutense University demanded reimbursement for software costs.
These are claims made by one side, not a judgment.
With the order signed, the oral trial begins—if it begins—with the investigating judge at the exit door. This is where the discussion stalls: there is a date for the procedure, but no date for the verdict that clarifies whether this was the substance of the matter.
Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (16 replies).
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