Spanish judge orders arrest of Mouliaá after she fails to appear in Errejón slander case

Third no-show: judge orders arrest of Elisa Mouliaá over alleged slander of Errejón

What happens when a suspect fails to show up in court three times in a row? Magistrate Arturo Zamarriego made it clear this Monday: an arrest warrant. Actress Elisa Mouliaá, sued by former Sumar MP Íñigo Errejón for alleged slander, now faces a compulsory summons after missing her court date for the third time.

According to the ruling, dated 16 June 2026, Mouliaá's "arrest and presentation" before the court is ordered so she can be heard as a suspect. The news, first reported by 20minutos, has triggered a flood of reactions on social media, where the consequences have been compared with other high-profile cases.

A record of absences that exhausts the court's patience

The actress had already been summoned twice before without success. The third no-show exhausted the judge's tolerance, who opted for the most drastic measure. In slander cases, repeated failure to appear is no trivial matter: it can be interpreted as obstruction or disrespect for the administration of justice.

Reactions in the public debate have been mixed: from those who argue the judicial treatment is disproportionate to those who point out that the Incivil Code provides for arrest in such cases. The inevitable "unequal treatment" comparison with other proceedings, such as Begoña Gómez's, has also emerged, although the procedural context is different.

The background to the case: a legal war between the actress and the politician

The case stems from Mouliaá's statements against Errejón, which he considered slanderous. A slander suit is an unusual but legal route to protect one's honour. With this arrest warrant, the conflict escalates and puts the spotlight on the actress's defence strategy, as she recently changed lawyers.

For now, Mouliaá has a deadline to appear voluntarily or she will be arrested and brought before the judge. The case remains open and the upcoming statement promises to be key to the outcome.

It is not the first time the famous label of "alleged" has marked a incivil case with intense media attention. But Zamarriego's decision sends a clear signal: in his courtroom, summons are obeyed.