Begoña Gómez hands over her passport to Judge Peindo after her visit to London for her daughter's graduation

Begoña Gómez went this Sunday to the Plaza Castilla courts to return her passport to the controversial judge Juan Carlos Peinado, after her trip to London for her daughter's graduation. However, the magistrate who had to carry out the resolution on Gómez's authorization to travel to the NATO summit in Turkey, Antonio Viejo, denied the request. 

On the other hand, this Monday, the Provincial Court of Madrid meets this Monday to analyze the appeals filed by both the Prosecutor's Office and the defenses against two of the most relevant decisions adopted by judge Juan Carlos Peinado in the investigation of Begoña Gómez. Specifically, the court will review the order that agreed to the opening of oral proceedings and the resolution that attributed the prosecution of the case to a jury court.

The deliberation will be held behind closed doors and will be assumed by five magistrates of section 23 in full, given the importance of the issues raised. Likewise, they will evaluate an appeal filed by the popular prosecution against the judge's resolution to dismiss the accusation of professional intrusion, and another related to a possible separation of the popular prosecution led by Hazte Oír.

The decision comes at a key moment in the procedure, after Peinado sent Begoña Gómez and her advisor, Cristina Álvarez, to trial for alleged crimes of corruption in business, influence peddling, misappropriation, and embezzlement. Also involved in the same case is businessman Juan Carlos Barrabés, who will have to answer for the first two crimes.

The Prosecutor's Office requests acquittal

The Madrid Prosecutor's Office has requested the acquittal of Begoña Gómez, her advisor Cristina Álvarez, and businessman Juan Carlos Barrabés in the case that analyzes various professional activities linked to the wife of the President of the Government. The Public Prosecutor's Office considers that the investigated facts do not constitute a crime and argues that none of the accused obtained economic benefits derived from the examined actions.

In the conclusions document, to which EFE has had access, the prosecutor maintains that there are no elements that prove that the investigated individuals received "any type of remuneration or additional benefit" related to the activities under investigation. The Prosecutor's Office focuses on Begoña Gómez's relationship with the Complutense University of Madrid, where she participated as co-director of a professorship. According to the document, Pedro Sánchez's wife performed these functions in an academic initiative "for which she received 0 euros."

Likewise, the Public Prosecutor's Office indicates that the entities and companies that collaborated in the project also did not obtain economic compensation for their participation. In this regard, it adds that no connection has been proven between these activities and possible awards or contracts in the public or private sphere.

The document also rejects that there were actions aimed at favoring the professorship through pressure on companies or sponsors. "Neither Begoña Gómez, nor Cristina Álvarez, nor Juan Carlos Barrabés obtained remuneration or direct or indirect benefit derived from this activity, nor did they exert any type of pressure on the affected companies for the promotion of the Chair of Competitive Social Transformation and its sponsorships," states the Prosecutor's Office.

Regarding the development of the computer software that is part of the investigation, the prosecutor concludes that there are also no indications of economic enrichment for the investigated individuals. Similarly, he maintains that there is no record that the Complutense University has suffered losses or patrimonial damages as a consequence of the work carried out. In view of these conclusions, the Prosecutor's Office understands that the analyzed facts lack criminal relevance and demands the free acquittal of the three accused.

The Prosecutor's Office attacks Judge Peinado for "conspiring"

The Prosecutor's Office has filed an appeal before the Provincial Court of Madrid against the decision of Judge Juan Carlos Peinado to withdraw the passport of Begoña Gómez and her advisor, Cristina Álvarez, as reported by ‘El País’. The Public Prosecutor's Office understands that the measure lacks justification and argues that both maintain a strong personal and professional link with Spain.

In the brief, the prosecutors emphasize that both Gómez and Álvarez have "an undeniable family rootedness in Spain" and that their professional careers have developed entirely in the country, circumstances that, in their opinion, rule out any real possibility of flight.

The Prosecutor's Office also criticizes the reasoning used by the magistrate and accuses him of "conspiring". Specifically, it reproaches Peinado for having concluded that the bodyguards of the Prime Minister's wife could facilitate an eventual escape, either on their own initiative or following superior instructions. For the Public Prosecutor's Office, this hypothesis implies "extending an unfounded shadow of suspicion over institutions".

Furthermore, the appeal argues that the judge is acting "without rigor or moderation" and that "he deviates from the law" by imposing a precautionary measure that it considers "unnecessary". The prosecutors argue that neither of the two investigated individuals maintains relevant ties with other countries nor has a structure that facilitates a permanent departure from Spain.

The brief adds that "they lack ties with foreign countries, in general or particular, we do not know where they are supposed to flee, because no specific country is pointed out where they would have ease of installation and impunity. And they lack assets or resources that would allow such flight and installation outside of Spain. And it will not be due to the suspicion of illicit assets and gains, in view of the result of the exhaustive patrimonial investigations authorized by the court that ruled out the unfounded suspicions."

Another aspect that the Prosecutor's Office questions is the judicial request to hand over "any passports they may have, of whatever nationalities they belong to". The Public Prosecutor's Office states that it is unaware of what elements support this decision and points out that it could be related to references to an alleged Dominican nationality of Gómez.