Judge calls preliminary hearing in Begoña Gómez case after defense briefs

Judge Juan Carlos Peinado has called a preliminary hearing for tomorrow after the defense briefs have been presented by Begoña Gómez, wife of the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, and her advisor, Cristina Álvarez.

The magistrate, who has already concluded the investigation by the chair co-directed by Gómez at the Complutense University of Madrid, has called this hearing, prior to sending the case to the jury court, where more evidence can be requested.

As the order explains, the judge agrees to this hearing, once the defense brief has been presented, so that the parties can communicate the appropriateness of opening the oral trial. Gómez requested this week through his qualification letter his free acquittal for the crimes of embezzlement of public funds and influence peddling.

The Provincial Court of Madrid endorsed this part of the investigation, so Peinado has already formally concluded it to send it to the jury court, which will be in charge of its prosecution.

In his defense brief, his lawyer denies that Gómez took advantage of “his marital relationship” with the head of the Executive to obtain a university professorship, and that he obtained financial benefit. She defends that she already had a professional career and that, contrary to Peinado's thesis, she did not use the UCM to promote her career but decided to take a step back to avoid a conflict of interest in the company she worked for and that could access public contracts.