Begoña Gómez, wife of Spanish President Pedro Sánchez, has recently inaugurated a new master’s program that she co-directs at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid. This event comes amidst ongoing controversy surrounding Gómez, who is under investigation for influence trafficking and business corruption. The master’s program in question focuses on fundraising and is related to Gómez’s professional background. Despite the media attention and legal issues surrounding her, Gómez used the platform to promote dialogue around social change and youth empowerment. The event was attended by a small number of viewers online and no political or legal messages were conveyed during Gómez’s speech.
The investigation against Gómez was initiated in April by Judge Juan Carlos Peinado based on a complaint filed by the organization “Manos Limpias.” The investigation accuses Gómez of using her political connections for personal gain and engaging in corrupt business practices. However, the Spanish authorities have not found any evidence to support these allegations. The controversy surrounding Gómez has also attracted attention from far-right groups, but the event where she presented the new master’s program did not see any protests or disruptions. Despite the ongoing scrutiny, Gómez continues to be involved in academic activities at the university and is focused on her role in promoting fundraising education.
Gómez first joined the Universidad Complutense de Madrid in 2014, shortly after her husband became the leader of the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE). She has been co-directing a master’s program on fundraising since its inception in 2014. The university later established a Chair on Competitive Social Transformation, followed by a master’s program with the same focus. These programs are typically funded by sponsors, with the university receiving a percentage of the funding. The sponsors for the chair co-directed by Gómez are the La Caixa Foundation and Reale Seguros, who signed a four-year agreement with the university in 2020.
In addition to the chair, a master’s program on Competitive Social Transformation was launched in 2020, also co-directed by Gómez until recently. The decision to discontinue this program, along with the chair, was made due to procedural issues related to the renewal process for university programs. According to university sources, the programs must request renewal annually, and failure to do so on time led to their cancellation. The cancellation of these programs has severed the formal ties between Gómez and the university, leaving her only involved in the fundraising master’s program that she has been co-directing since 2014. Despite these developments, the initial event for the new master’s program was conducted smoothly and focused on promoting dialogue on social change and youth empowerment.
The controversy surrounding Begoña Gómez continues to attract attention due to the ongoing legal proceedings against her related to influence trafficking and business corruption. Despite these challenges, Gómez remains committed to her work in academia and continues to be involved in promoting educational programs focused on fundraising and social transformation. The recent inauguration of a new master’s program that she co-directs at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid was conducted without any disruptions, and Gómez used the platform to emphasize the importance of engaging youth in conversations about social change. Despite the legal and political scrutiny, Gómez remains focused on her academic responsibilities and is determined to contribute to the advancement of fundraising education in Spain.
