A socialist reaction that indicates something much worse than the Begoña Gómez case

In a democracy, politicians not only have a duty to respect the laws, but also to set an example with their conduct.

Pedro Sánchez's insane behaviour as scandals mount in his party
Socialist corruption in Spain briefly explained to people from other countries

Yesterday, Judge Juan Carlos Peinado closed the investigation into the Begoña Gómez case and issued a formal indictment against the wife of Pedro Sánchez, the Prime Minister of Spain, who will have to answer to the courts for four alleged crimes: influence peddling, corruption in private sector business dealings, embezzlement of public funds, and misappropriation. The facts uncovered during the investigation indicate a possible use of the Prime Minister's wife's privileged position to obtain illegal advantages.

These events are extremely serious. Something like this has never happened in all the years of democracy we have had in Spain. Furthermore, the facts we have learned about in this case coincide with other scandals affecting Sánchez's personal circle, his government, and his party. Therefore, everything seems to indicate that the Begoña Gómez case is not an isolated incident, but rather part of a trend.

The government and its affiliated media have made great efforts to discredit the media and the judge who investigated this scandal, a way of acting with which they have not managed to hide the facts that have finally been documented by the Civil Guard during the investigation of the case. The government and its allies have had exactly the same reaction to other cases of corruption involving the Socialists. Let's remember that this is the same left that came to power in 2018 condemning the People's Party for its corruption scandals and promising, cases for which Sánchez, when he was in the opposition, demanded Mariano Rajoy's resignation.

As has happened on other issues, Sánchez has changed his mind (which is how he disguises his lies) as soon as corruption has affected his personal circle, his government, and his party. When he was in the opposition, he demanded "exemplary conduct" from the PP, but now that his wife is charged with several crimes, the Socialist leader's attitude is very different. Now, Sánchez, his government, and his party are dedicated to attacking the media and the judiciary (as the Minister of Justice, Félix Bolaños, did yesterday against Judge Pintado, in an intolerable interference by the government in the work of the judiciary), conveying a very dangerous and absolutely intolerable idea in a democracy: the idea that socialists are above the law.

Under normal circumstances, a democratic government involved in such a case should respect the work of the judiciary and, should a guilty verdict be handed down, assume the corresponding political responsibilities. Sánchez and his ministers are not acting like a democratic government: they are behaving like their Chinese allies, whose communist regime does not recognize the separation of powers inherent in a democracy. Their reaction is even more scandalous than the already known facts of the Begoña Gómez case, because no democracy is immune to cases of political corruption, but the Sánchez government's response to these scandals is an attempt to undermine several of the pillars of our democracy.

What we are witnessing is far more serious than a mere corruption scandal: it is an attempt to destroy the equality of citizens before the law, judicial independence, and the principle of political accountability, according to which those in power must answer for their actions. If socialism succeeds in destroying these three pillars of our democracy, Spain will become an authoritarian regime, just like the one Sánchez has brazenly favored during his official visit to China. The saddest thing is not that this is happening, but rather the meager political, social, and media response to this attack on the foundations of our democracy. Are we Spaniards unaware of the threat looming over us?

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Photo: Europa Press.