Judge to probe corruption accusation against wife of Spain's leader filed by right-wing group

A Spanish judge has agreed to probe allegations of corruption made against the wife of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez by a private group with a history of filing lawsuits for right-wing causes

Spain Politics (Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

A Spanish judge agreed Wednesday to probe allegations of corruption made against the wife of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez by a private group with a history of filing lawsuits mainly for right-wing causes.

The court based in Madrid will consider the allegations and proceed with the investigation or toss it out.

Begoña Gómez, 49, does not hold public office and maintains a low political profile.

Manos Limpias, or “Clean Hands,” accuses Gómez of allegedly having used her position to influence business deals. The court did not provide further information and said that the probe was under seal.

Manos Limpias describes itself as a union, but its main activity is a platform pursuing legal cases. Many have been linked to right-wing causes. It acts as the “popular prosecution,” a peculiarity of Spanish law that allows individuals or entities to take part in certain criminal cases even when they haven’t been directly harmed by the accused.

Justice Minister Félix Bolaños called the new allegations “false."

When asked in Parliament after the court’s decision whether he thought the judicial system is working, Sánchez replied: “On a day like today and after hearing the news, despite everything, I still believe in the judicial system of this country.”