Appeal for the defense of Begoña Gómez
Begoña Gómez’s lawyer has filed an appeal against the summons of her husband, Pedro Sánchez, who holds the position of President of the Government. This summons calls him to testify as a witness in the case that has been opened against him for alleged crimes related to corruption and influence peddling. Through a document that covers eight pages, Gómez’s lawyer, Antonio Camacho, former minister of the Government of the Socialist Party, argues that “there is not the slightest indication that substantiates the summons made, beyond the discretionary decision of the magistrate.”
The position of the Public Ministry
The Madrid Public Prosecutor’s Office has also challenged the summons, emphasizing that the diligence is not “necessary, useful or relevant” and that it does not provide benefits to the ongoing investigation. The Prosecutor’s Office asks the judge to reevaluate his decision. If he persists in calling Sánchez, he asks that he be given the option of testifying in writing, a possibility contemplated by the Criminal Procedure Law if the issue is related to his function.
The legal conundrums of subpoena
Regarding the mention of the two articles that do not exist in the law, Gómez’s defense emphasizes that, from a rigorous legal approach, it is surprising that a judicial document cites three articles, of which two are simply not in the Criminal Procedure Law. The defense clarifies that neither article 412 point 2.12 nor article 413 paragraph 12 are valid in the current regulations. This irregularity has led to the “surprising” qualification used in the writing being more than justified.
Contradictions in the judge’s argument
Begoña Gómez’s lawyer has pointed out that Judge Juan Carlos Peinado incurs contradictions. Initially, the magistrate argued that he would interrogate Sánchez in La Moncloa because he would be asked about facts that he, supposedly, had no knowledge of in his role as leader of the Government. However, in a previous decision, the same judge had stated that he was investigating all of Gómez’s actions since his partner became president.
Investigations into influence peddling
The magistrate’s ruling also mentions the investigation into a potential crime of “chain influence peddling” and the possible connection of the person under investigation with an authority figure. The magistrate indicates that the relationship between Gómez and Sánchez is “public and widely recognized”, given that both have maintained a marital bond for a long time.
The key testimony
The only indication that the judge seems to have is the testimony of Juan Carlos Barrabés, who has declared that he met the President of the Government in La Moncloa on two occasions. One of these meetings took place during a dialogue with businessmen from the innovative sector, while the second was brief and occurred after receiving a phone call during a meeting with Begoña Gómez. Gómez’s lawyer adds that it is complicated that Sánchez has not crossed paths with his partner at the Moncloa Palace, considering that it is the residence where both live together.
