Begoña Gómez, wife of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, has regained possession of her passport after the Madrid Provincial Court partially upheld appeals against decisions by investigating judge Juan Carlos Peinado on 13 July 2026. The court lifted her personal precautionary measures, allowing her to keep her passport and leave Spain; it also ended her periodic court appearances. Peinado ultimately authorized Gómez’s legal representative to collect the document on her behalf.
The passport’s return followed concerns raised by the defense for Cristina Álvarez, Gómez’s assistant, over the requirement that documents be collected in person at court. The Provincial Court’s decision removed those travel-related restrictions but did not end the criminal proceedings. It distinguished whether the case should continue from whether the personal measures imposed on Gómez remained justified.
The case has narrowed from a broader investigation. The allegations still proceeding are influence peddling and embezzlement; the court excluded alleged business corruption and removed businessman Juan Carlos Barrabés from the trial structure. The remaining proceedings were reported as moving toward a trial before a popular jury. The case’s current scope is so distinct from the wider set of allegations examined since 2024.
The restrictions had affected Gómez’s ability to travel with Sánchez to the NATO summit in Ankara. Before the broader measures were lifted, Peinado had returned her passport so she could attend her daughter’s graduation in London, but did not authorize its use for the summit. The dispute drew criticism from the PSOE and government officials, including over the judge’s stated concern that Gómez’s police escorts could help an escape.
The handling of the case has drawn scrutiny as part of broader examination of judicial actions involving political figures. In a related development, scrutiny of internal authorizations at PSOE headquarters has intensified, as detailed in a recent report on unusual approvals for party staff expenses and access. Both cases have fueled debate over the proportionality and transparency of judicial measures in politically sensitive investigations.
Spanish law allows judges to impose precautionary measures, including passport withdrawal and travel restrictions, during criminal proceedings. In Gómez’s case, the Provincial Court removed those personal obligations while allowing the allegations of influence peddling and embezzlement to continue through the judicial process. The return of her passport changed her immediate restrictions, but did not dismiss the case.
