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EPA

Spain's Attorney General, the country's chief legal officer, has been forced to step down after being found guilty of revealing confidential information in a deeply controversial case that has accentuated political divisions within the country.

Judicial Decision and Sanctions

The highest court determined that García Ortiz had unlawfully revealed details about the tax situation of businessman Alberto González Amador, who is the boyfriend of a senior conservative politician.

The court imposed a 24-month prohibition from his position and a fine of €7,200. Furthermore, he must compensate ten thousand euros to Mr González Amador as compensation.

Political Consequences

The trial of the attorney general intensified the previously strained relations between the progressive administration of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and the conservative political forces.

Divergent viewpoints were underlined by reactions to the guilty verdict.

"Sánchez must apologise to the Spanish people, resign and schedule new elections, in that sequence," said Ester Muñoz for the main opposition party.

The administration stated it disagreed with the ruling but respected it and would move forward with the selection of a new attorney general.

Judicial Dispute

Nevertheless, numerous progressive lawmakers expressed anger at what they viewed as a politically motivated ruling.

A cabinet member, of the progressive coalition, stated the conviction dealt a "devastating impact to the principle of innocent until proven guilty" and threw ordinary Spaniards under the bus when it came to the legal system.

Origins of the Matter

The complex case dates back to March 2024, when the prosecutor's department issued a official statement indicating that Mr González Amador had sought a negotiated settlement after being found to have evaded tax obligations worth over 350,000 euros.

The document corrected inaccurate media coverage stating that the attorney general's office had initiated the settlement.

The origin of the false information was the communications director of the regional leader of Madrid.

Court Case Details

Mr González Amador filed a complaint against the chief prosecutor, claiming his privacy had been breached. The legal action against García Ortiz also saw him accused of disclosing details about the affair to the media.

Legal authorities pointed to the attorney general's decision to replace his mobile device as suspicious.

However, there was no conclusive proof connecting García Ortiz to the disclosure and several journalists stated under oath during the proceedings that he had not been the source of their information.

Concerning the press statement, the attorney general stated he was merely rectifying the inaccurate information.

García Ortiz can appeal against the decision.

Wider Political Implications

This comes as a severe blow for the national leader, who has been facing legal scrutiny on multiple issues.

• A family member is scheduled for court proceedings for alleged corruption
• His wife is being examined for her business activities
• Former party officials in the Socialist Party are accused of overseeing a large-scale corruption operation