Journalists from EL PAÍS Confirm Prior Knowledge of Negotiations Involving Ayuso's Partner
Four reporters testify in the Supreme Court about their insights into a legal agreement sought by the partner of Isabel Díaz Ayuso before it reached the Attorney General.
Four journalists from the Spanish newspaper EL PAÍS have confirmed in the Supreme Court that they were aware of details regarding negotiations between the lawyer of Alberto González Amador and the Fiscalía (Public Prosecutor's Office) at least 31 hours before this information was disclosed to the Attorney General on the night of March 13. The reporters stated before the judge investigating Álvaro García Ortiz that they learned from sources within the Madrid High Court that the lawyer representing Isabel Díaz Ayuso's partner intended to negotiate an agreement with the prosecution that would require his client to repay misappropriated funds amounting to €350,951, alongside a fine, in exchange for acknowledging his crimes.
The journalists, who appeared before the court, include Deputy Director José Manuel Romero, head of the Madrid section Luis Gómez, section chief Berta Ferrero, and reporter Fernando Peinado.
They were summoned by Judge Ángel Hurtado at the request of the State Attorney's Office after the journalists provided notarized copies of WhatsApp communications following a report by _elDiario.es_ on March 12, 2024, revealing that the Fiscalía had filed a complaint against Ayuso's partner for tax fraud.
During the testimony, Romero stated he was willing to provide additional messages exchanged on the afternoon of March 13 with the political reporter covering the Madrid region, who was in contact with Ayuso's chief of staff, Miguel Ángel Rodríguez, in efforts to verify the information that EL PAÍS had obtained from Fiscalía sources.
These communications indicate that the proposal for a deal from the lawyer to the prosecution was no longer a secret by the time García Ortiz received the email on March 13, the leaking of which is currently under investigation.
According to sources familiar with the case, Romero explained to the judge that at approximately 1:30 PM on March 12, he contacted a staff member of the Madrid Fiscalía to validate statements made by the president of the Madrid community regarding allegations of political persecution related to the complaint against González Amador.
The Fiscalía source clarified that the complaint against González Amador could not be interpreted as a political attack against Ayuso, noting that the lawyer Neira had accepted his client's offenses and expressed willingness to pay a fine to reduce potential prison time.
This source additionally provided the name of lawyer Neira, which had not yet been publicly disclosed.
Subsequent to this revelation, journalists from the Madrid section worked to confirm that the lawyer was negotiating a deal.
Evidence of these communications has been submitted to the case through a notarized process.
In one message, Ferrero tasked Peinado with searching for Neira's contact details after learning he had approached the authorities saying he was willing to confess, indicating an acknowledgment of wrongdoing.
Ultimately, despite efforts to reach Neira via phone, email, and WhatsApp, the newspaper did not publish any information due to a lack of confirmation.
On March 13, _El Español_ reported that González Amador had settled the €350,000 debt with the tax authority.
Romero recounted to the judge that he had instructed the political reporter in Madrid to verify this information with Ayuso's chief of staff.
After 7:30 PM, Rodríguez informed the reporter that the Fiscalía had proposed a deal to González Amador's defense, a story subsequently published by _El Mundo_ around 9:29 PM. This version conflicted with that held by EL PAÍS up to that point, leading Romero to contact the press officer at the TSJ who indicated he could neither confirm nor deny the information.
Romero later reached out to the press officer of the General Prosecutor's Office, who also indicated an inability to confirm but that a press release to clarify the situation was being prepared.
The Fiscalía and the State Attorney's Office have requested that Romero submit the messages exchanged with the Madrid reporter, which would demonstrate that the newspaper was aware that it was González Amador's lawyer who had indicated a willingness to admit to offenses and accept a fine.
According to sources, the judge suggested that Romero deliver copies of these conversations to the court, to which he responded affirmatively.
In response to the judge's inquiries, Romero mentioned that the messages from March 12 had already been notarized following a request from the State Attorney's Office, recalling that the newspaper had published these messages in January and that the Attorney's Office had previously requested they be submitted to the case.
However, neither the judge nor the Appeals Chamber had consented to this submission at that time.
The journalists, who appeared before the court, include Deputy Director José Manuel Romero, head of the Madrid section Luis Gómez, section chief Berta Ferrero, and reporter Fernando Peinado.
They were summoned by Judge Ángel Hurtado at the request of the State Attorney's Office after the journalists provided notarized copies of WhatsApp communications following a report by _elDiario.es_ on March 12, 2024, revealing that the Fiscalía had filed a complaint against Ayuso's partner for tax fraud.
During the testimony, Romero stated he was willing to provide additional messages exchanged on the afternoon of March 13 with the political reporter covering the Madrid region, who was in contact with Ayuso's chief of staff, Miguel Ángel Rodríguez, in efforts to verify the information that EL PAÍS had obtained from Fiscalía sources.
These communications indicate that the proposal for a deal from the lawyer to the prosecution was no longer a secret by the time García Ortiz received the email on March 13, the leaking of which is currently under investigation.
According to sources familiar with the case, Romero explained to the judge that at approximately 1:30 PM on March 12, he contacted a staff member of the Madrid Fiscalía to validate statements made by the president of the Madrid community regarding allegations of political persecution related to the complaint against González Amador.
The Fiscalía source clarified that the complaint against González Amador could not be interpreted as a political attack against Ayuso, noting that the lawyer Neira had accepted his client's offenses and expressed willingness to pay a fine to reduce potential prison time.
This source additionally provided the name of lawyer Neira, which had not yet been publicly disclosed.
Subsequent to this revelation, journalists from the Madrid section worked to confirm that the lawyer was negotiating a deal.
Evidence of these communications has been submitted to the case through a notarized process.
In one message, Ferrero tasked Peinado with searching for Neira's contact details after learning he had approached the authorities saying he was willing to confess, indicating an acknowledgment of wrongdoing.
Ultimately, despite efforts to reach Neira via phone, email, and WhatsApp, the newspaper did not publish any information due to a lack of confirmation.
On March 13, _El Español_ reported that González Amador had settled the €350,000 debt with the tax authority.
Romero recounted to the judge that he had instructed the political reporter in Madrid to verify this information with Ayuso's chief of staff.
After 7:30 PM, Rodríguez informed the reporter that the Fiscalía had proposed a deal to González Amador's defense, a story subsequently published by _El Mundo_ around 9:29 PM. This version conflicted with that held by EL PAÍS up to that point, leading Romero to contact the press officer at the TSJ who indicated he could neither confirm nor deny the information.
Romero later reached out to the press officer of the General Prosecutor's Office, who also indicated an inability to confirm but that a press release to clarify the situation was being prepared.
The Fiscalía and the State Attorney's Office have requested that Romero submit the messages exchanged with the Madrid reporter, which would demonstrate that the newspaper was aware that it was González Amador's lawyer who had indicated a willingness to admit to offenses and accept a fine.
According to sources, the judge suggested that Romero deliver copies of these conversations to the court, to which he responded affirmatively.
In response to the judge's inquiries, Romero mentioned that the messages from March 12 had already been notarized following a request from the State Attorney's Office, recalling that the newspaper had published these messages in January and that the Attorney's Office had previously requested they be submitted to the case.
However, neither the judge nor the Appeals Chamber had consented to this submission at that time.
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