Spanish PM Gomez's wife remains silent before judge in corruption investigation

The wife of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, Begona Gomez, invoked her right to remain silent on Friday during questioning by a Madrid judge in charge of the preliminary corruption investigation into her business ties.

The investigation into Gomez for alleged corruption and influence peddling has infuriated Sanchez, who called the allegations an attempt to undermine him and his leftist government.

Gomez arrived at the Madrid court for the highly anticipated closed hearing shortly before 10:00 a.m. (0800 GMT), entering through the car park to avoid a crowd of journalists.

She left Judge Juan Carlos Peinado’s office a few minutes later without making a statement.

A judicial source said she had invoked her right to remain silent during the closed session.

Leaving the court after the brief hearing, Gomez’s lawyer, Antonio Camacho, said that “this procedure has no reason to exist at this stage.”

He stressed that the investigations carried out so far into this case “have yielded nothing.”

“We do not understand what is guiding the investigating judge in this investigation which is taking on increasing proportions,” he added, criticising the judge.

Miguel Tellado, spokesman for the right-wing opposition Popular Party (PP), said Gómez “refuses to speak in court, just as Sánchez refuses to speak in Congress” about the charges.

– ‘Nothing unusual’ –

Gomez had already appeared in court on July 5, but the hearing was suspended minutes later after her lawyer said they had “not been informed” of all the complaints against her and asked for time to study them.

The investigation was opened on April 16 following a complaint by Manos Limpias (“Clean Hands”), an anti-corruption NGO linked to the far right, which denounced corruption in the private sector and influence peddling, while admitting that its allegations were based on information disseminated by the media.

A second complaint was filed by Hazte Oir (“Make Yourself Heard”) – an ultra-Catholic pressure group linked to the far right – also denouncing influence peddling.

Gomez, who has worked for years in fundraising, particularly for foundations and NGOs, is suspected of having used her husband’s position as leverage within her professional circles, particularly with a businessman and consultant, Juan Carlos Barrabes, who received public funds.

In his testimony before the judge on Monday, Barrabes – who teaches part of a master’s degree at the Complutense University of Madrid, directed by Gomez – acknowledged meeting her five or six times in Moncloa, the official residence of the Spanish president.

Sanchez was also present at two of those meetings, he said.

The businessmen, who received two letters of recommendation from Gomez before bidding for a multi-million euro public tender, said the meetings were only about innovation issues, judicial sources said.

“There is absolutely nothing unusual” in such meetings, said Socialist Party spokeswoman Esther Pena, adding that it was normal for Sánchez “to meet with businessmen, cultural organizations or institutions.”

Civil Guard investigators took the same view and presented a new report to the court in early July concluding that there had been no irregularity on the part of Gomez.

The prosecution also requested at the end of April that the case be closed without further action due to lack of evidence.

But Peinado refused, insisting there was “sufficient” evidence to warrant continuing the investigation.

– Anti-disinformation plan –

The case has sparked a growing wave of criticism from the right-wing opposition.

“It is neither ethical nor acceptable for Moncloa to sign letters of recommendation for companies that want to receive public money,” opposition leader Alberto Nunez Feijoo said in parliament on Wednesday.

When news of the investigation broke in April, Sanchez shocked Spain by saying he was considering resigning because of what he described as a campaign of political harassment from the right. He ultimately decided to stay in office.

Gomez, 49, has not spoken publicly about the case, but Sanchez has denounced it as a political attempt to “harass and discredit” him by “media heavily influenced by the right and the extreme right.”

He unveiled a “democratic regeneration” plan on Wednesday aimed at combating disinformation, sparking fierce opposition from the right.

Gomez did not want to give up her career when her husband became prime minister in 2018 and has maintained a low public profile. She does not hold public office.

bur-vab/dl/js/jm