The spokesperson for the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE) in Congress, Patxi López, has reacted to the decision made by Judge Juan Carlos Peinado regarding the “Begoña Gómez case.” The judge has summoned the Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, to testify as a witness on July 30. López expressed solidarity with Sánchez, stating that all socialists stand firmly behind him because he represents the dignity of democracy. He emphasized that the right-wing parties, PP and Vox, will not succeed in their efforts as democracy is stronger than their tactics.
López criticized what he described as a “political witch hunt” against the President’s wife due to her marriage to Sánchez. He highlighted the unethical nature of the accusations as a construct of the far-right against the government. According to him, this is an intolerable political persecution from those attempting to achieve in court what they failed to secure at the polls.
In his defense, López supported Gómez’s decision not to testify before the judge, reasoning that when there are no grounds for accusations, there is nothing to say. He noted that there are two reports from the Civil Guard that found no evidence of a crime. Additionally, the prosecutor has not charged Gómez, and witnesses did not implicate her in any wrongdoing, leading to the conclusion that “there is no case.”
López urged the judge to clarify the reasons for investigating Begoña Gómez, who has been accused of alleged influence peddling and corruption in the private sector. He questioned the legality of the judge’s actions, suggesting that the investigation appeared politically motivated since it began after Sánchez became president. López pointed out that prospective investigations are prohibited in Spain under legal doctrine and jurisprudence.
In response to opposition leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo’s renewed call for Sánchez’s resignation, López condemned the “indecent” use of this case by the PP. He claimed that Feijóo is attempting to seek judicial remedies for what he could not achieve electorally, thereby revealing his own lack of viable alternatives. López summarized that the judicial case against Gómez serves more the interests of the PP than any legitimate legal pursuit.
He compared the current situation with the Gürtel scandal, where former Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy testified and received the only definitive corruption conviction against his party. López criticized Feijóo for not appearing as a witness in a related judicial inquiry in Salamanca.
From the PSOE headquarters, there is a strong denunciation stating that these new actions are “completely unjustified” and highlight the political motivations underlying the case. They plan to contest these proceedings, as they have done with previous actions. According to party sources, Sánchez’s summons represents a “political persecution orchestrated by the right and far-right against the Prime Minister and his family,” which intensifies exactly one year after the elections on July 23.
Meanwhile, Minister of Defense Margarita Robles suggested that some of the judge’s actions may be aimed at gaining public attention. As a former judge herself, she expressed hope that Peinado is conducting only necessary inquiries, rather than those intended merely for “public projection.”
Image and News Source: https://www.infobae.com/espana/2024/07/22/el-psoe-respalda-a-sanchez-tras-su-citacion-como-testigo-en-el-caso-begona-gomez-pp-y-vox-no-se-van-a-salir-con-la-suya/
