Lawyers for Begoña Gómez, the spouse of Spain’s prime minister, have filed an appeal against the decision of Judge Juan Carlos Peinado, who requested all of Gómez’s emails from the Moncloa administration dating back to 2018. The defense considers this measure excessive and demands that the dissemination of such data be strictly limited.
The legal proceedings are related to suspicions of misappropriation of public funds. In particular, attention is focused on the involvement of adviser Cristina Álvarez in Gómez’s private initiatives connected to her work at Complutense University. The judge has scheduled a hearing for September 10 to determine whether Álvarez provided support for the prime minister’s wife’s personal projects.
Gómez’s lawyers emphasize that the adviser’s email correspondence was occasional and amounted to friendly assistance, remaining within accepted social norms. They argue that such actions cannot be considered a legal violation, as they are in line with standard business practices.
In one of the emails that has drawn particular attention, the adviser asked a department sponsor to reconsider the decision to stop funding. The defense acknowledges that, due to the appeal’s timeline, Gómez will still have to appear in court on the appointed day. They stress, however, that she is ready to cooperate and provide explanations on all matters related to her activities.
The appeal places particular emphasis on the need to protect Gómez’s privacy. The lawyers are calling for measures to prevent the publication of letters unrelated to the investigation but affecting the private sphere. The defense points out that during the investigation, media outlets have repeatedly published information about personal and financial matters, which they believe violates the right to privacy.
The document submitted to the Madrid court notes that efforts to restrict the dissemination of personal information have so far been unsuccessful. The defense continues to insist on the need to maintain a balance between the interests of the investigation and individual rights.
