The Partido Popular is trying to downplay the report prepared by the Central Operative Unit (UCO) of the Civil Guard, which does not see any signs of influence peddling in the actions of the wife of the President of the Government. Despite the contents of the report, the parliamentary spokesperson of the PP, Miguel Tellado, criticized Begoña Gómez and Pedro Sánchez on Tuesday. The report was commissioned by Judge Juan Carlos Peinado after opening an investigation based on a complaint filed by the ultra-right pseudo-union Manos Limpias. Tellado has dismissed the report but also highlighted another report on the Koldo case prepared by the UCO. He questioned Sánchez on the ethics and aesthetics of his wife’s involvement in public procurement procedures and whether her actions influenced the outcome of the bidding process. The PP continues to push the issue against the Government, even as the possibility of criminal consequences for Gómez decreases following the UCO report.
The PP has compiled a dossier with 100 questions regarding Begoña Gómez and the Koldo case titled “100 questions for Sánchez ABOUT THE PSOE CASE.” The questions include inquiries about whether the President was aware of his wife’s meetings with a figure from La Trama who facilitated access to Globalia and why she had a sponsorship agreement with a company negotiating a large bailout from the Government. Tellado justified the questionnaire due to the lack of time granted by the Congress to intervene in Sánchez’s upcoming appearance. The President has agreed to provide explanations about his wife’s actions during the session. The PP has criticized the lack of time granted by the Junta de Portavoces, although each group has been allocated up to 27 minutes to speak during the superplenary session, the usual maximum allowed.
The PP continues to press their narrative, focusing on alleged influence peddling by Gómez and the Koldo case, despite the UCO report not finding evidence of criminal activity. They are still questioning the ethics of Gómez’s actions, even though they remain unconfirmed in official or judicial documents. The party’s offensive against the Government has been centered around these issues in recent weeks, and they show no signs of backing down, even with the UCO report in hand. Tellado emphasized that exonerating someone from criminal responsibility is the job of a judge, not a UCO report, downplaying the findings of the investigation by the Civil Guard.
The PP’s tactics seem to be aimed at keeping the pressure on the Government and using the controversy surrounding Gómez to their advantage. Despite contradictory statements from Tellado about the significance of the UCO report, the party is still actively pursuing the issue with 100 questions for the President about his wife’s actions. The upcoming superplenary session in Congress where Sánchez will provide explanations is seen as an opportunity for the PP to continue their line of attack even as the UCO report appears to weaken their arguments. The battle between the PP and the Government over these issues continues to unfold amid political tensions in Spain.
