Madrid (Spain), 8 July (LaPresse) – Investigating judge Juan Carlos Peinado has justified the decision to withdraw the passport of Pedro Sánchez’s wife, Begoña Gómez, citing the case of former Prime Minister Bettino Craxi, without explicitly naming the Italian politician. “It would not be the first time” that a “prime minister of a European Union member state, from a Mediterranean country (Italy), has fled to evade proceedings relating to a corruption case, to a country on the African continent (Tunisia), where he would undoubtedly have all the necessary security arrangements in place”, stated the magistrate in a written submission to the Provincial Court of Madrid, as reported by the media outlet Cadena Ser. Peinado responded in this way after Gómez appealed to the Court to have the precautionary measures imposed on her lifted. The investigating judge decided to confiscate the First Lady’s passport, stating that there was a risk of her absconding, and, in a passage that sparked fierce controversy in Spain, claimed that her security detail could have helped her flee the country. Peinado has now reiterated that the risk of absconding remains and is not negated by the fact that Gómez has a security detail. The magistrate has assured that he did not intend to “offend” the bodyguards but maintained that there is a possibility that someone might fail to carry out their duty.
Spain: Judge justifies withdrawal of Sánchez’s wife’s passport, citing the Craxi case
Madrid (Spain), 8 July (LaPresse) – Investigating judge Juan Carlos Peinado has justified the decision to withdraw the passport of Pedro Sánchez’s wife, Begoña Gómez, citing the case of former Prime Minister Bettino Craxi, without explicitly naming the Italian politician. “It would not be the first time” that a “prime minister of a European Union member state, from a Mediterranean country (Italy), has fled to evade proceedings relating to a corruption case, to a country on the African continent (Tunisia), where he would undoubtedly have all the necessary security arrangements in place”, stated the magistrate in a written submission to the Provincial Court of Madrid, as reported by the media outlet Cadena Ser. Peinado responded in this way after Gómez appealed to the Court to have the precautionary measures imposed on her lifted. The investigating judge decided to confiscate the First Lady’s passport, stating that there was a risk of her absconding, and, in a passage that sparked fierce controversy in Spain, claimed that her security detail could have helped her flee the country. Peinado has now reiterated that the risk of absconding remains and is not negated by the fact that Gómez has a security detail. The magistrate has assured that he did not intend to “offend” the bodyguards but maintained that there is a possibility that someone might fail to carry out their duty.
