Spain’s Attorney General, Álvaro García Ortiz, has resigned following a Supreme Court ruling that found him guilty of unlawfully disclosing confidential information regarding the tax affairs of businessman Alberto González Amador, who is linked to a senior conservative politician. The court has imposed a two-year ban on García Ortiz from holding the position, a fine of €7,200, and requires him to pay €10,000 in compensation to González Amador.
The ruling intensified existing political tensions between the left-wing government, led by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, and the right-wing opposition. The People’s Party spokesperson, Ester Muñoz, called for Sánchez to apologize to the public, resign, and trigger new elections. In contrast, the government expressed disagreement with the ruling but stated it would respect the decision and move forward with appointing a new attorney general. Left-wing politicians expressed disapproval, with Health Minister Mónica García stating that the ruling undermined the presumption of innocence and threatened the rule of law.
This case originated in March 2024, when the attorney general’s office released a statement indicating that González Amador had requested a plea deal related to over €350,000 in unpaid taxes. The statement aimed to clarify erroneous media reports suggesting that the attorney general’s office proposed the plea agreement. The incorrect reports stemmed from the communications chief of Isabel Díaz Ayuso, the conservative regional president of Madrid, who is González Amador’s partner.
González Amador later filed a complaint, alleging a breach of privacy by the attorney general, which included accusations of leaking details to the media. Although prosecutors argued that García Ortiz’s change of phone was suspicious, no direct evidence tied him to any leaks, and several journalists testified that he had not been their source of information. García Ortiz maintains that he was merely correcting misinformation. He retains the option to appeal the ruling.
This scenario adds to the challenges faced by Prime Minister Sánchez, who is currently under judicial scrutiny for multiple issues involving family and former party officials.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cly4ypj92j9o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss