Miguel Bernad, the general secretary of Manos Limpias, the organization that has pushed for criminal charges against Begoña Gómez, has acknowledged the possibility that their complaint may be based on false information published by some digital newspapers. In a statement issued on Thursday, Bernad defends his actions and argues that he simply “brought to the attention of the court” a “series of reports” that had been circulated by “several digital newspapers” about “alleged irregularities that could potentially be criminal” attributed to the wife of the Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, “after observing that the Public Prosecutor was not taking action”. He has pointed out that it will now be up to the investigating judge to determine if these journalistic reports are true or not.
The leader of Manos Limpias insists that their complaint aimed to initiate proceedings to “verify the truth” of the alleged news. He states that there was no falsification in the actions of Manos Limpias, as the complaint was based solely on the information published in the newspapers. The judge will now have to verify the accuracy of these reports. If they are found to be false, then those who published them will have to take responsibility for the falsehoods. However, if the reports are found to be accurate, then the judicial proceedings should continue. Manos Limpias has a history of filing complaints against political leaders (especially left-wing) that often lead to nothing, and has been investigated several times for promoting false accusations.
The complaint filed by Manos Limpias, dated April 8, and accessed by EL PAÍS, has caused a political earthquake after being admitted for processing. The document was officially registered at the Madrid Courts on April 9, and was then assigned to the Instruction Court number 41 of Madrid, headed by Judge Juan Carlos Peinado, who initiated proceedings on April 16. Following the decision of the investigating judge becoming public knowledge, Sánchez announced that he was considering resigning due to the unprecedented attacks from the right and ultra-right against his wife.
The allegations against Begoña Gómez by Manos Limpias involve her “recommending or endorsing with her signature businessmen who were applying for public tenders”, using her personal status as the Prime Minister’s wife. The accusations are based on information published in conservative newspapers and later discussed on television programs. The Madrid Superior Court of Justice reported that the judge has opened investigations into Gómez for alleged crimes of influence peddling and corruption in business. The case has been classified as secret and the judge has called witnesses from the media that published the information to testify. The judge initiated the proceedings without consulting the Public Prosecutor’s Office for their opinion on the case.
In conclusion, the legal battle between Manos Limpias and Begoña Gómez has created a political storm in Spain, leading to calls for the Prime Minister to consider resigning. The investigation into the allegations made by Manos Limpias against Gómez will now be handled by the courts to determine the veracity of the claims. This case highlights the importance of verifying the accuracy of information before taking legal action and the potential consequences of making false accusations. The outcome of this case will have significant implications for the individuals involved and for the political landscape in Spain.
