El juez Peinado envía a juicio con jurado a Begoña Gómez y a su asesora

Spanish judge Juan Carlos Peinado has reopened oral proceedings against Begoña Gómez, the wife of the Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, and her advisor, Cristina Álvarez, on charges of alleged corruption and influence peddling. Earlier this month, the judge had initially summoned Gómez to the preliminary hearing and maintained the charges against her and Álvarez, despite their written defense that they were falsely accused.

Peinado reiterated his decision to prosecute both women after the Provincial Court corrected him, dismissing two charges and lifting the restraining measures imposed by the prosecutor, according to an agreement reached today in an opinion published by Europa Press and EFE. As per the judge's ruling, both parties will be brought to trial before he steps down this week.

In this decision, he also refuses to impose any restraining measures against them but orders the Judicial Neutrality Point to verify Gómez's financial capacity, requiring her to submit the last five tax declarations as part of potential economic responsibilities that could be imposed upon her. This is the second time Peinado has opened oral proceedings against the two accused.

During the previous instance in June, the judge accused Gómez and her advisor of suspected crimes of influence peddling, corruption in business dealings, misappropriation and misappropriation of public funds, and ordered the withdrawal of their passports and their prohibition from leaving the country. Gómez and Álvarez appealed the decision to the Madrid Provincial Court, which upheld the judge's order to send them to trial with a popular jury for the alleged crimes of influence peddling and misappropriation of public funds, but only Álvarez for the latter.

They also decided to exclude businessman Juan Carlos Barrabés, the third accused in the case, and decided to continue the investigation into the legality or illegality of the public contracts awarded. The Popular Court that leads the prosecution seeks sentences of 13 to 16 years in prison for Gómez and six years for Álvarez, while the defense of the accused and the Prosecution request their acquittal.