Spanish prime minister’s wife to face corruption trial, judge orders her to surrender passport

International Spanish prime minister’s wife to face corruption trial, judge orders her to surrender passport Comments: by Sophie Brams - 06/20/26 3:52 PM ET Comments: Link copied by Sophie Brams - 06/20/26 3:52 PM ET Comments: Link copied

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The wife of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez was ordered by a judge on Saturday to surrender her passport ahead of an impending trial on corruption charges, according to multiple outlets.

Begoña Gómez is accused of using her position to help certain private-sector companies secure government contracts and misusing public funds.

The Associated Press reported that Investigative Judge Juan Carlos Peinado ruled on Saturday that Gómez must appear before a court every two weeks until her trial date, which has not yet been set. She is also barred from leaving the country.

She is expected to appeal the conditions imposed by the judge, according to Spanish newspaper El País, which sited sources close to the prime mister’s wife.

Gómez has denied any wrongdoing. Her husband and the left-wing Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE) have sought to cast the case, which was reportedly brought by far-right groups, as politically motivated.

“Begoña Gómez is innocent,” PSOE wrote in a translated post on the social platform X. “She has been judicially and politically persecuted for two years. What happened today is just another step.”

Members of Spain’s main opposition party, the conservative People’s Party, have put pressure on Sánchez to resign in the wake of the scandal and called for early elections.

Sánchez, a frequent critic of President Trump who strongly opposed the U.S. war with Iran, has been in power since 2018. The next general election is scheduled for 2027.

“Sánchez has turned the Moncloa into a den of criminals and the executive into a criminal organization,” the party’s secretary general, Miguel Tellado, wrote in a translated post on Saturday.

“Spain deserves a government that doesn’t steal. Surrender and cooperate with Justice. Elections Now,” he added.

Gómez is one of several people in the prime minister’s orbit who have come under legal trouble in recent months, according to Reuters.

The outlet reported that Sánchez’s former transport minister and the third highest-ranking official in the PSOE are currently under investigation for alleged kickbacks related to public works, oil and gas contracts and the procurement of masks during the COVID-19 pandemic. Both have denied the allegations.

The former prime minister of Spain, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, also appeared in court this week in connection with an investigation into his role in the government bailout of airline Plus Ultra and jewelry that was found in his office during a police raid, according to AP.

Add as preferred source on Google Tags Begoña Gómez Donald Trump José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero Miguel Tellado Pedro Sanchez Pedro Sánchez Spanish Socialist Workers' Party

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