Attention to the overseas trips of the Spanish Prime Minister’s wife and her assistant has once again become the focus of public and political debate. A judicial request to disclose all travel routes since 2018 may affect perceptions of government transparency and raise new questions about the use of public resources. For Spaniards, this is not only an issue of trust in institutions, but also a signal of potential changes in the oversight of senior officials.
Court request
Judge Juan Carlos Peinado has formally requested the Ministry of the Interior to provide a full list of all foreign trips taken by Begoña Gómez, the spouse of the sitting head of government, since July 2018. Particular attention is paid to visits to the Dominican Republic, Congo, Guinea-Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, and Russia. The judicial investigation aims to determine whether these trips were linked to official duties or were private in nature.
If the information is not provided within ten days, the ministry faces charges of failing to comply with a court order. Such a tough stance by the court underscores the seriousness of the suspicions and the potential consequences for all involved.
Focus on the assistant
As part of the investigation, authorities are also reviewing the travel routes and purposes of trips taken by Cristina Álvarez, assistant to Begoña Gómez at the Moncloa residence. Investigators are interested in whether she accompanied the Prime Minister’s wife on official overseas visits and what her role was during those trips. Additionally, the judge is examining the circumstances of Álvarez’s appointment as program director in the government administration and any potential links to private business interests associated with Begoña Gómez.
In particular, the case involves financial operations related to a university chair at Universidad Complutense de Madrid and attempts to secure funding from a major insurance company. These details may shed light on potential misuse of public funds.
Response and delays
The judge voiced dissatisfaction with delays in the government administration’s release of information. According to him, these holdups lack objective justification and could be seen as attempts to obstruct the investigation. At the same time, both individuals involved in the case refused to hand over their passports, exercising a right afforded to them by their status as suspects.
Investigators aim to determine whether all trips were genuinely necessary for fulfilling official duties or if they involved private visits funded by the state budget. The issue of spending transparency and accountability remains unresolved.
Context and consequences
Such investigations are not uncommon in Spain. In recent years, scrutiny of foreign trips and expenses by high-ranking officials has increased following a number of scandals involving the misuse of public funds. There have been instances where ministers and their associates were subjected to checks over suspicions of abuse of office. Each new episode of this kind triggers a wave of public reaction and leads to tighter controls over the actions of civil servants.
In the past, similar cases have resulted in resignations and revisions to funding rules for official trips. As a result of such investigations, new procedures for accountability and transparency have been introduced, marking an important step towards strengthening trust in public institutions. The current situation may become yet another example of how the judicial system shapes standards of conduct in the upper echelons of power.
