Overview

• García Ortiz, already ordered to stand trial for alleged revelation of secrets, addressed the opening before the King and Supreme Court magistrates, acknowledged his situation, and drew rare applause from some attendees as others praised Isabel Perelló’s address.
• Speaking on TV, García Ortiz said he will not resign because “nothing has changed,” pledged to face the Supreme Court “like any citizen,” and faces a potential sentence of up to six years if convicted.
• Supreme Court and CGPJ president María Isabel Perelló warned against pressure from public powers, calling such discrediting of the judiciary “inoportuna y rechazable,” and reaffirmed that judicial independence safeguards citizens.
• The Fiscalía’s annual report reported an 11% rise in jihadist-related crimes versus 2023 with 170 cases reaching courts, cited 95 arrests this year through August, and urged specialized judicial sections to accelerate complex corruption trials.
• PP secretary general Miguel Tellado condemned García Ortiz’s presence as institutional degradation and claimed the political year will be defined by upcoming cases, including those involving Begoña Gómez and the ‘Caso Koldo’.