Spanish Attorney General Convicted for Information Disclosure
Spain's Attorney General, Álvaro García Ortiz, has been found guilty by the Supreme Court of unlawfully revealing confidential information. The conviction stems from the disclosure of details concerning the tax status of businessman Alberto González Amador.
Conviction and Sentence
The Supreme Court imposed a two-year ban on García Ortiz from holding his position, along with a fine of €7,200. Additionally, he is required to pay €10,000 in compensation to Mr. González Amador. García Ortiz retains the right to appeal the ruling.
Case Background
The case dates back to March 2024. At that time, the attorney general's office issued a press release confirming that Mr. González Amador had requested a plea bargain after being accused of evading €350,951 in tax payments. This document was intended to correct previous media reports that incorrectly stated the attorney general's office had proposed the plea bargain. The source of those initial incorrect reports was identified as the head of communications for Isabel Díaz Ayuso, the conservative regional president of Madrid and Mr. González Amador's partner.
Mr. González Amador subsequently filed a complaint against García Ortiz, alleging a breach of his privacy and accusing him of leaking information to the media. Prosecutors highlighted García Ortiz's decision to change his phone as a potentially incriminating factor. However, no direct evidence linking García Ortiz to the leak was presented during the trial, and several journalists testified that he was not their source. Regarding the press statement, García Ortiz maintained that its purpose was to correct erroneous reports.
Political Reactions
The conviction has underscored existing political divisions within Spain. The conservative People's Party, through spokeswoman Ester Muñoz, called for Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez to apologize, resign, and call for new elections. The government stated it did not agree with the ruling but affirmed its respect for the decision and announced it would proceed with appointing a new attorney general.
Conversely, some politicians on the left, including Health Minister Mónica García of the Sumar party, expressed strong disagreement, characterizing the ruling as politically motivated and detrimental to the concept of presumption of innocence.
Broader Context
This judicial development occurs amidst other ongoing legal inquiries involving individuals associated with Prime Minister Sánchez. These include a trial faced by his brother for influence peddling, an investigation into his wife's business activities, and accusations against two former senior Socialist Party figures, José Luis Ábalos and Santos Cerdán, regarding an alleged kickback scheme.