Overview
- Supreme Court magistrate Ángel Hurtado has opened an oral trial against Álvaro García Ortiz for alleged revelation of secrets tied to a leaked email in the González Amador case, with the hearing expected in November.
- García Ortiz must post a €150,000 civil bail, which he will appeal, after the judge used criteria that legal experts note the Constitutional Court has deemed invalid for such calculations.
- The attorney general remains in his post due to a regulatory vacuum on suspending a sitting fiscal general, drawing persistent calls for his resignation and concerns about the Fiscalía’s credibility.
- The investigation’s handling faces sharp criticism, including an express office search before counsel was designated, a broad UCO seizure of devices, limited corroborated indicia, and a dissent from judge Andrés Palomo arguing the case lacks sufficient basis.
- Key evidence disputes persist as the judge treats deleted messages and the defendant’s silence as incriminating signs, journalists’ protected sources were discounted, and sources say the prosecution at trial is not expected to seek a conviction.