Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez to Testify in Graft Probe Involving Wife

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez is set to testify on July 30 in a preliminary corruption inquiry concerning his wife, Begona Gomez’s business connections, according to a Madrid court announcement on Monday. The investigation, which focuses on alleged corruption and influence peddling, has provoked intense reactions from both supporters and critics of Sanchez.

The investigation, led by Judge Juan Carlos Peinado, will see Sanchez appear as a witness at his official residence at 11:00 am (0900 GMT) on July 30. The inquiry centers on suspected influence peddling by his wife, Gomez. This issue had caused Sanchez to contemplate resigning three months ago, an action he ultimately decided against.

The allegations have been a source of great frustration for Sanchez, who has described them as an orchestrated attempt to destabilize his left-wing government. Santiago Abascal, the leader of the far-right Vox party, has been vocal about his party’s stance, stating, “We have always said that we will use all the means at our disposal to end the most corrupt government in history.”

In contrast, Patxi Lopez, the Socialist party’s spokesperson to the Congress of Deputies, denounced Sanchez’s hearing as unfounded and described it as “unacceptable political persecution.” Lopez emphasized the unified support of the Socialist party behind Sanchez, asserting that the case was a fabrication by the far right and the right against the head of government.

Borja Semper, spokesman for the main opposition People’s Party, called for Sanchez to provide explanations to parliament and the media, adding, “Nobody is above the law, not the prime minister or his entourage, all politicians should understand this.” Alberto Nunez Feijoo, the head of the People’s Party, reiterated his call for Sanchez to resign, stating, “What an image for the country when a prime minister goes before a judge to talk about his wife’s alleged corruption!”

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Gomez, invoking her right to remain silent, appeared before the judge on July 5 but requested more time to study the complaints against her, leading to a suspension of the hearing. The investigation was initiated on April 16 following a complaint by Manos Limpias (“Clean Hands”), an anti-graft NGO linked to the far-right. The NGO’s claims were based on media reports. Another complaint was filed by Hazte Oir (“Make Yourself Heard”), an ultra-Catholic pressure group with far-right ties.

Sanchez has consistently defended his wife, asserting her innocence. Felix Bolanos, Sanchez’s justice minister, also came to Gomez’s defense. Gomez, who has a background in fundraising for foundations and NGOs, is accused of leveraging her husband’s position for professional gains, particularly in interactions with businessman Juan Carlos Barrabes.

Barrabes, who teaches a master’s course at Madrid’s Complutense University run by Gomez, admitted to meeting her five or six times at Moncloa, the prime minister’s official residence. Sanchez was present at two of these meetings. Barrabes received two letters of recommendation from Gomez before pitching for a public tender worth several million euros, though he claimed their discussions only involved innovation matters.

The Socialist party maintained that such meetings were routine for the prime minister, and police investigators found no irregularities in Gomez’s actions. Despite the public prosecutor’s office calling for the case to be closed due to a lack of evidence, Judge Peinado decided to continue the investigation, citing sufficient evidence to proceed.

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When the probe was first revealed in April, Sanchez considered resigning, citing political harassment by the right. However, he ultimately chose to remain in office, continuing to lead Spain through this challenging period. The upcoming testimony on July 30 will be a pivotal moment in this ongoing saga, with significant implications for Sanchez and his government.