Trial of Pedro Sánchez's Brother: Accusations of 'Enchufe' and New Case Details. The high-profile trial of the Prime Minister's brother in Badajoz is nearing its end. The charges involve possible irregularities in appointments within the local administration. Key arguments include reports from the UCO and witness testimonies.
One of the most talked-about court cases in recent years is nearing its conclusion in Badajoz: in the dock are the Prime Minister's brother, David Sánchez, as well as former head of the Diputación de Badajoz Miguel Ángel Gallardo and nine other employees of the institution. They are accused of possible violations during the creation and allocation of two positions in the provincial administration. The case has drawn widespread attention due to the identity of the defendant and the composition of the plaintiffs: among them are Manos Limpias, as well as representatives of the PP, Vox, and ultra-conservative organizations.
The main episode concerns the creation in 2016 of the post of coordinator for conservatory activities, which ultimately went to David Sánchez. According to the prosecution, the procedure was tailored to a specific candidate and the documents contained irregularities. The defense and the prosecution insist that all actions were legal and that the competition itself promoted the development of music education in the region. During the hearings, over a dozen officials confirmed the legitimacy of the process, but the prosecution relies on UCO reports and the testimony of conductor Cristina de Frutos, who took part in the competition and spoke of “rumors” about a predetermined winner.
Special attention was drawn to emails seized by the UCO. Among them was a message with the subject “hermanísimo”, sent on the day the competition details were published. The prosecution sees this as evidence of bias, but the author of the email explained that he was merely recounting rumors, without knowing their source. The judge stressed that speculation and conjecture are not relevant to the case.
During the discussion, the issue of the alleged systematic absence of David Sánchez from his workplace was also raised. Several managers categorically rejected these accusations, and UCO representatives stated that they had not analyzed this aspect. Another surprise was the inclusion in the charges of an episode involving a change in the job title, which allowed the requested sentence to be increased to six years. According to the accused, the renaming was not related to personal interests and did not affect the institution's budget.
The second episode concerns the possible influence of David Sánchez on the hiring of his friend Luis Carrero in 2023. As evidence, correspondence from three weeks before the job competition terms were published is cited. Both parties insist that the messages were misinterpreted and that the process itself followed standard procedure.
The court proceedings are taking place amid increased attention to the issue of transparency in Spanish institutions. Recalling other high-profile cases, it should be noted that questions about conflicts of interest and influence on staffing decisions regularly become the subject of public debate. For example, recently in Andalusia, authorities faced criticism for using the arguments of a private company when making decisions, which was covered in detail in the article about the dispute over mining at Minas Los Frailes.
According to RUSSPAIN, in Spain, cases related to 'enchufe' are more often heard in administrative courts rather than criminal ones. However, in this instance, the charges include administrative prevarication and influence peddling, which may result in real prison sentences. The final statements by both parties are scheduled for the coming days, after which the judge will issue a decision. It is important to note that the prosecution from the very beginning did not see grounds for criminal charges and requested that the case be dismissed, considering the accusations to be based on assumptions.
For reference: Unidad Central Operativa (UCO) is a specialized unit of the Civil Guard that investigates complex corruption and economic crimes. Manos Limpias is an organization known for its numerous lawsuits against public figures and often acts as a private prosecutor in high-profile cases.
