(April 13): Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s wife has been charged with influence peddling and bribery.
Judge Juan Carlos Peinado charged Begoña Gómez following a years-long criminal investigation that has rocked Spanish politics, according to a ruling published on Monday. She will now stand trial.
The government has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing by Gómez.
The charges against Gómez deepen political pressure on Sánchez. His Socialist-led minority government has been shaken by multiple corruption probes and claims of politically motivated attacks, ahead of a general election next year that opponents are likely to seize on.
The government is deeply angered, according to a senior official, who said the timing of the decision — during the prime minister’s trip to China — was deliberate.
Gómez is currently in China with Sánchez, who began a visit Monday by urging Beijing to use its global influence to help end the wars in Iran and Ukraine.
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The developments are likely to overshadow Sánchez’s meeting with Xi Jinping on Tuesday.
The investigation has “embarrassed many citizens and judges” in Spain, Justice Minister Félix Bolaños said in the wake of the ruling, adding that the damage done to the reputation of the justice system “will, in many respects, be irreparable”.
In 2024, Sánchez took five days off to consider whether to resign after Gómez was formally placed under investigation. He ultimately remained in office, saying the allegations were unfounded and politically motivated.
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The case stems from a complaint filed by an anti-graft group with far-right links, using a Spanish legal mechanism that allows third parties to request criminal investigations.
The Spanish premier’s brother has also been indicted in a separate probe into alleged influence peddling tied to his hiring by a regional administration. He has rejected the investigation as politically driven.
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