Judge Calls for Investigation into Minister Bolaños: Allegations of Embezzlement and False Testimony

On Tuesday, the Ministry of the Presidency, Justice, and Relations with the Courts addressed the recent developments surrounding Judge Juan Carlos Peinado's motivated statement requesting the Supreme Court to indict Minister Félix Bolaños for embezzlement and false testimony. The ministry explained that the accusations stem from a response that Bolaños allegedly did not provide. Sources within Bolaños's ministry clarified that despite the leak of the minister's statement to Judge Peinado, the public now has the opportunity to compare the minister's actual words with the claims made in the motivated statement. Judge Peinado, who is overseeing the case against Begoña Gómez, the wife of the President, has suggested an investigation into Bolaños concerning the hiring of an advisor, Cristina Álvarez. The judge contends that the minister committed false testimony by naming a different individual when asked about who appointed Álvarez. However, ministry sources counter this point by asserting that the inquiry from the judge was focused on the supervisor of Álvarez, a detail that Minister Bolaños accurately provided. Furthermore, the individual mentioned later corroborated their role, indicating that the minister's testimony was indeed valid. Regarding the allegation of embezzlement, the judge's statement claims that officials from the General Secretariat of the Presidency were responsible for Álvarez's appointment and should have been aware of any alleged misuse of public resources tied to the private activities of Begoña Gómez. However, the ministry argues that documentation and applicable legislation confirm that the General Secretariat did not appoint Álvarez, nor was she under its jurisdiction. They also point out the absence of any evidence suggesting the misuse of public funds. In fact, sources from the ministry expressed confusion over the characterization of ‘public and notorious’ associated with the case, especially given that it has been under scrutiny for months with no substantiated evidence. The ministry likened the current situation to a past case involving Juan José Güemes, who was similarly indicted based on witness testimony that was later proven incorrect and subsequently rectified by a higher court in Madrid. They expressed confidence that the truth would prevail once more in this instance. While the government maintains a calm stance, there is an underlying concern about how these allegations and ongoing legal issues might impact the integrity of the justice system and the public image of the government. Related Sources: • Source 1 • Source 2