Spain’s General Council of the Judiciary has referred a controversial ruling by Judge Juan Carlos Peinado for possible disciplinary investigation after an evenly split vote was decided by council president Isabel Perelló.
The move follows remarks in which Peinado suggested that police officers assigned to protect Begoña Gómez, the wife of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, might help her leave Spain, either independently or on orders from superiors.
Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska filed a complaint, arguing that the comments cast unjustified doubt on the professionalism of Spain’s security forces.
The disciplinary officer will now assess whether the judge’s language could amount to abuse of authority or a serious lack of respect towards judicial police officers.
Four conservative council members opposed the referral, arguing that Peinado’s ruling was a judicial decision that could only be challenged through the normal appeals process. They warned that disciplinary action could interfere with judicial independence.
The decision highlights deep divisions within the judiciary’s governing body over Peinado’s conduct in the case involving Gómez, her adviser Cristina Álvarez and businessman Juan Carlos Barrabés.
Peinado has ordered the case to proceed to trial and imposed precautionary measures on Gómez and Álvarez, including passport confiscation, a travel ban and fortnightly court appearances.
