The wife of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, Begoña Gómez, will not accompany her husband to the NATO summit in Ankara after a Madrid court refused to authorize her departure from the country for this trip.
The decision is linked to the ongoing investigation against her and the imposed measure, under which her passport was confiscated two weeks ago and handed over to Judge Juan Carlos Peinado.
Gómez's lawyers requested special permission for her to travel with Pedro Sánchez to Ankara for the NATO forum, as well as to London for the graduation ceremony of one of their daughters.
Less than 24 hours before the start of the meeting in the Turkish capital, it became clear that the court would not allow her trip to Ankara but gave the green light for her visit to Great Britain.
In his reasoning, the judge notes that the invitation for Begoña Gómez to attend the summit is dictated by "international institutional courtesy" and that no active participation in the Alliance's work is expected from her.
Begoña Gómez is facing charges of abuse of power, influence peddling, misappropriation, and corruption, which is the reason for the restrictions imposed on her travel abroad.