A court in Spain has ordered action against the wife of the country’s prime minister, Begonia Gomez, on charges of corruption, embezzlement of public funds and misappropriation of property.
Judge Juan Carlos Peñado decided to confiscate Gomez’s passport, prevent her from leaving the country, and order her to appear in court twice a month.
El Pais newspaper wrote that such measures were demanded by the public prosecutor’s office, including the extreme Catholic Hazte Oír association and a number of far-right organizations. The newspaper indicates that the judge had previously repeatedly refused to restrict Begonia Gomez’s movements, but he has now changed his position. The decision was justified by the fact that the Prime Minister’s wife might try to escape, and the police officers responsible for her protection and safety could help her in that.
The corruption case against Begonia Gomez has been ongoing since 2024. The investigation is looking into whether Gomez used her position as the prime minister’s wife to attract donors to the university master’s program she led, bypassing open competition.
The operation against Gomez was initiated by the far-right Vox party and a number of right-wing public organizations. They are demanding that she be imprisoned for 24 years. In November 2024, on the eve of Gomez’s trip with her husband, Pedro Sanchez, to the G20 summit in Brazil, prosecutors also tried to obtain a travel ban. However, the judge described the measure as “unnecessary” and “disproportionate.”