The Provincial Court of Madrid is holding a key hearing this Monday for the future of the investigation against Begoña Gómez. The magistrates will analyze several appeals filed by the defense, the Prosecutor's Office, and popular accusers against various decisions by Judge Juan Carlos Peinado.
Among the issues to be resolved is the indictment of the Prime Minister's wife and the possibility of the case proceeding via popular jury trial, an option that the Court itself already questioned in a previous ruling, considering its reasoning insufficient.
The debate on the popular jury
One of the main matters the court will study is whether to confirm or revoke Peinado's decision to prepare for a potential jury trial against Begoña Gómez, her advisor Cristina Álvarez, and the businessman Juan Carlos Barrabés.
Gómez's defense argues that the investigation is not yet concluded and requests that the proceedings be halted until all pending appeals are resolved. Among the necessary actions it considers are the testimony of José Manuel Ruano, co-director of an extraordinary chair at the Complutense University, and the ratification of several expert reports.
The investigated crimes
Judge Peinado is investigating events related to Begoña Gómez's activity at the Complutense University, her relationships with businessman Juan Carlos Barrabés, the management of software, and the appointment of Cristina Álvarez as advisor.
Provisionally, the investigating judge attributes possible crimes of influence peddling, business corruption, misappropriation, and embezzlement to Gómez and Álvarez. He attributes alleged crimes of influence peddling and business corruption to Barrabés. Both the defense and the Prosecutor's Office have requested the dismissal of the case, while the popular accusers advocate for a trial.
Precautionary measures are also being reviewed
The defense has also appealed the precautionary measures imposed during the investigation, including the withdrawal of her passport, the prohibition of leaving Spain without judicial authorization, and the obligation to appear periodically before the court.
These measures are preventive and aim to ensure the availability of the investigated individuals during the proceedings. Subsequently, Gómez obtained authorization to travel to London, although another judicial body rejected a request to travel to Turkey.
What the Court Can Decide
The Provincial Court does not have to communicate its decision this Monday. The resolution may be made public in the coming days, once the magistrates' deliberation concludes.
If the court upholds Judge Peinado's decisions, the case may proceed towards a potential trial opening. On the other hand, if it upholds any of the appeals, it may annul resolutions, order new proceedings, or return the procedure to the instructor so that he may motivate his decisions anew.